VITAMIN 'K' DEFICIENCY HAEMORRHAGIC DISEASE OF NEW-BORN AND PRESENT CONTROVERSIES

Vitamin K deficiency haemorrhagic disease of newborn (HDN) is a well known entity and presents in 3 different clinical forms - early, classical and late. The coagulopathy is due to deficiency of vitamin K dependent procoagulant factors II, VII, IX, X. In the event of vitamin K deficiency Protein Induced in Vitamin K Absence (PIVKA) arc in excess and its estimation is very helpful in diagnosis even after starting the treatment. The bleeding defects are usually corrected within few hours after administration of vitamin K. All newborn babies require vitamin K prophylaxis. Oral route is effective like parenteral route but require higher and more doses. Intra muscular route is safe and does not increase the risk of childhood cancer. All breast fed babies with diarrhoea, malabsorption require another dose of vitamin K in postneonatal period to prevent late vitamin K deficiency bleeding.