Parents in the U.S. are refusing newborns not just vaccinations, but other routine preventive measures, which worries doctors across the country. At an Idaho hospital, half of the newborns seen by Dr. Tom Patterson did not receive the vitamin K injection that has been given for decades to prevent potentially fatal bleeding. On another day, more than a quarter of newborns did not receive this injection due to parental disapproval. Parents also refuse other interventions, such as the heel test to monitor glucose levels in at-risk children. Reasons include fear of side effects, reluctance to expose the child to pain, and desire for a natural birth. Neonatologist Kelly Wade of Philadelphia said parents face conflicting information even though they care deeply for their babies. Denial of such care is not new, but until now it has been rare. Twelve years ago, Minnesota doula Dana Morrison refused vitamin K for her son and gave him oral drops to protect bonding time.