The case of an 11-day-old baby who experienced persistent bleeding at a Texas emergency room has renewed concerns about vitamin K deficiency bleeding in newborns and the risks associated with declining the recommended vitamin K injection at birth. According to medical records and reporting, Gwen Biesenbach’s parents, Stephanie and Eric, declined the standard vitamin K shot after her birth in 2023 and instead gave her oral vitamin K drops. When Gwen’s umbilical cord stump began bleeding heavily, her parents took her to Lonestar 24HR ER in New Braunfels, Texas. Emergency physician Nicole Malouf initially treated the bleeding with specialised gauze. When the family noticed that Gwen’s clothes were soaked with blood shortly after leaving, they returned to the emergency department. Over nearly three hours, Malouf attempted seven methods to control the bleeding, including different dressings and silver nitrate. The treatments did not resolve the underlying problem. Malouf eventually arranged to transfer the infant to a hospital with paediatric specialists and a neonatal intensive care unit. During the process, Gwen’s condition reportedly deteriorated. The family later filed a complaint against Malouf with the Texas Medical Board. The board alleged that the doctor failed to recognise vitamin K deficiency bleeding. Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting. Newborns are routinely given an injection because they naturally have low levels of the vitamin and are vulnerable to potentially serious bleeding. Recent research has raised further concerns about parents declining the injection. Two studies published in November 2026 found an increased risk of bleeding among babies who did not receive vitamin K at birth. One study reported a 347% increase in vitamin K deficiency bleeding between 2017 and 2025. The case highlights the importance of newborn vitamin K prophylaxis, early recognition of unexplained bleeding and appropriate medical evaluation.

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