Is Vitamin A supplements safe during pregnancy?
Don't take high-dose preformed vitamin A (retinol) supplements while pregnant or breastfeeding — it can cause birth defects.
What the sources say
NIH says too much preformed vitamin A (retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate) in pregnancy can cause birth defects of the eyes, skull, lungs and heart, and people who are or may be pregnant or breastfeeding should not take high-dose preformed vitamin A supplements. The adult upper limit is 3,000 mcg a day from all sources, including food and prenatal vitamins; MotherToBaby advises not exceeding the RDA (770 mcg RAE in pregnancy) unless your provider directs it. Beta-carotene (provitamin A) doesn't carry the same risk.
Common alternatives
Also listed as
vitamin a supplement, vitamin a, retinol supplement, retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, preformed vitamin a, high-dose vitamin a, vitamin a capsules, vitamin a 10,000 iu, vitamin a softgels
Sources
- NIH (ODS): Vitamin A and Carotenoids: Fact Sheet for Consumers
- NIH (ODS): Vitamin A and Carotenoids: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
- MotherToBaby: Vitamin A (MotherToBaby Fact Sheets)
- ACOG: Healthy Eating During Pregnancy
Last reviewed . This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor or midwife about your own situation.