Yes, exactly, giving vitamin K by mouth seems to be some sort of
improvement because we are not injecting babies, and oral is cheaper,
but it just goes to show you about the principle of unexpected
consequences.

In France, they give oral vitamin K weekly (completely unnecessary, by
the way) and thus devalue breastmilk and make it seem incomplete,
unlike formula.

In the Netherlands, oral vitamin K may induce peanut allergy, which
has become something of an epidemic these days.  Does anyone my age
ever remember anyone of their friends in school having a peanut
allergy?  I never heard of such a thing, and I went to a school where
*everyone* had allergies--it was *the* thing.  You weren't normal if
you didn't have allergies.

I repeat, one shot of IM vitamin K, a few hours after birth, to
*every* baby.  No big deal.

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC