Because of the teratogenic effects secondary to excessive vitamin A intake, the WHO recommends as safe during pregnancy a maximum dose of up to 10,000 IU daily or 25,000 IU weekly after the first 60 days of gestation [10,12,38].
How much vitamin A is safe in pregnancy?
Women ages 19 and older – whether or not they’re pregnant or breastfeeding – should get no more than 3,000 mcg RAE of preformed vitamin A from supplements, animal sources, and fortified foods each day. For women ages 14 to 18, the upper intake limit is 2,800 mcg RAE.
Can too much vitamin A harm a fetus?
Having large amounts of vitamin A can harm your unborn baby. So if you’re pregnant or thinking about having a baby, do not eat liver or liver products, such as pâté, because these are very high in vitamin A.
Is 1000 IU of vitamin A safe during pregnancy?
Existing WHO guidance suggests a dose of up to 10 000 IU vitamin A per day, or a weekly dose of up to 25 000 IU (1). A single dose of a vitamin A supplement greater than 25 000 IU is not recommended as its safety is uncertain.
Is 2000 IU of vitamin A safe during pregnancy?
Daily doses of 1000-2000 IU can be recommended in all antenatal women in South Asia, without estimating serum 25(OH) D levels. Higher doses can be used in symptomatic antenatal women, and in those with documented severe deficiency.
Which vitamin A is bad for pregnancy?
When the dose of preformed vitamin A is above 10,000 IU per day, there may be a potential risk of teratogenicity. There are reports of malformations in children when their mothers consume high doses of preformed vitamin A during pregnancy (>25,000 IU/day).
Why vitamin A is harmful during pregnancy?
Given that vitamin A is fat soluble, your body stores excess amounts in the liver. This accumulation can have toxic effects on the body and lead to liver damage. It can even cause birth defects. For example, excessive amounts of vitamin A during pregnancy has been shown to cause congenital birth abnormalities.
How much vitamin A is toxic?
Too much vitamin A can be harmful. Even a single large dose — over 200,000 mcg — can cause: Nausea. Vomiting.
Is 8000 IU of vitamin A safe during pregnancy?
The USRDA (recommended daily allowance) established by the Food and Drug Administration is 8,000 IU/day. Supplementation of 8,000 IU vitamin A (as retinol/retinyl esters) per day should be considered the recommended maximum prior to or during pregnancy until further evaluations can be performed in the human population.
Is 4000 IU of vitamin A safe during pregnancy?
Women in the study who took 4,000 IU of the vitamin daily in their second and third trimesters showed no evidence of harm, but they had half the rate of pregnancy-related complications as women who took 400 IU of vitamin D every day, says neonatologist and study co-researcher Carol L.
Why does vitamin A cause birth defects?
Background: Studies in animals indicate that natural forms of vitamin A are teratogenic. Synthetic retinoids chemically similar to vitamin A cause birth defects in humans; as in animals, the defects appear to affect tissues derived from the cranial neural crest.
Is vitamin A retinol safe during pregnancy?
Despite the low risk suggested by these studies, experts still suggest pregnant women avoid applying vitamin A-based formulations to their skin during early pregnancy. On the other hand, if you have used a cosmetic containing a retinol or a similar vitamin A-like compound during pregnancy, there’s no need to panic.
Can I take too much vitamin D while pregnant?
The problem of excessive vitamin D intake during pregnancy is linked to the risk of hypercalcemia in the foetus, which is not a minor disease. The highest daily dose evaluated in pregnancy is 4,000 IU/day.
Can you take extra vitamin D while pregnant?
That much vitamin D is not only safe during pregnancy, the researchers say, but doubling it may actually reduce the risk of complications. Pregnant women should not change their vitamin D intake without consulting their physicians, however.
How much vitamin D should you take while pregnant?
Vitamin D in pregnancy
You need 10 micrograms of vitamin D each day and should consider taking a supplement containing this amount between September and March. Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy.