Tag: Prophylaxis

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vitamin A deficiency affects an estimated 190 million preschool-age children worldwide, primarily in Africa and Southeast Asia. Prophylactic vitamin A supplementation is a critical, cost-effective intervention designed to prevent this deficiency and its severe health consequences in vulnerable populations.

Decades of evidence show that all newborns are born with very low levels of vitamin K and are at risk for a life-threatening bleeding disorder. This is why the **vitamin K scheme**, the routine administration of a vitamin K supplement at birth, is a globally recommended preventative measure.

Epidemics of lathyrism are often linked to periods of drought and famine, where overconsumption of the hardy grass pea becomes a necessity for survival. This dependence on a single food source, particularly when diets are nutritionally deficient, significantly increases the risk of this irreversible neurodegenerative disease.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 190 million preschool-age children in Africa and Southeast Asia are affected by vitamin A deficiency. The schedule for vitamin A prophylaxis is a key intervention to combat this deficiency, reducing preventable blindness and child mortality in at-risk populations.

The risk of vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) in newborns is 1,700 per 100,000 infants if prophylaxis is not given, a significant danger that drops to 1 per 100,000 with a single injection. This striking difference highlights the importance of understanding **what are the odds of vitamin K deficiency bleeding** and the simple measures that can prevent it.

Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB) is a life-threatening, but largely preventable, condition in newborns, and the nurse's role in the vitamin K program is central to its prevention. A single intramuscular injection at birth is the most effective way to prevent VKDB, and nurses are often the primary healthcare providers responsible for its safe and timely administration.