Vitamin D - quantity??? Have I harmed our baby??? Worried mum to be.

[Iona1651]

Hi
I was taking folic acid before TTC. When I got pregnant and visited the midwife for first time she told me to take vitamin D too (but didn't state how much). I just bought vitamin D separately as I already had loads of folic acid. I've just run out of vitamin D and went to buy some more yesterday. The lady asked me what quantity/level I was taking - which I didn't know as the tub was at home. I then went to Boots last night and spoke to the pharmacist who said pregnant ladies should take 10 mg???. I ended up buying a folic acid and vitamin D combined from Boots own brand. When I went home and looked at the tub for the Seven Seas ones I've previously been taking it said 25 mg?? (is it mg?? - it was 25 whatever it is anyway). So I've been taking more than double the recommended amount every night. Will this have harmed our baby?? I'm worried now. I'm not one for taking tablets, especially any kind of vitamins etc as I believe in getting it from fruit and vegetables etc. so didn't realise there were different levels of mg?. Can anyone please help and advise me???

The only warning I've ever heard of in terms of taking too much of a supplement is to do with vitamin A, you can apparently have too much A during pregnancy. Regarding D, I would not worry. Do you live in the UK? Most of us are deficient anyway because of lack of sun exposure!

Hi Snowlet. Thanks for your reply.

Yes I live in the UK. I just wish the midwife had said to look for ???mg of vitamin D and not just assume that I'd know. I feel so stupid re. something probably so obvious to everyone else.

As far as I'm aware, the only effects of too much vitamin d is it causes hypercalcaemia. There is a lot more evidence showing that too little vitamin d is harmful. Obviously, less is known about effects in pregnancy but I wouldn't worry too much about it, especiAlly at this time of year when your vitamin d levels are likely to be low anyway.

I must stress that I'm not remotely qualified to advise about this; for peace of mind, speak to your GP.

However, I am very interested in the vitamin D issue.

There is an organisation called the Vitamin D Council, who take an interest in good-quality research into Vitamin D deficiency, and take the position that many of us don't get enough, by quite a stretch, due to modern diet and lifestyle. It's very interesting.

While I wouldn't suggest continuing a higher dose based on that (do get the appropriate supplement based on current GP/midwife advice for pregnancy), I would probably be reassured that no harm will have been done.

I can't post links but if you do an internet search, medical advice suggests that taking less than 4000 u a day is likely to be safe in pregnancy.

Some women having treatment for fertility and various other things (RL friends) have been given strong vit D 'shots' and their babies were OK, so I reckon normal vitamin tablets cannot harm.

If you're worried about calculating how much is ideal, one of those all-in-one pregnacare or sanatogen pregnancy tablets would take all the maths worry away?

I have just been prescribed a much, much higher dose (am 35 weeks) as I wasn't taking enough so I think you are fine (and now I wish I had been taking more!)

Thanks everyone for your replies. I've spoken to my midwife who believes I should be ok. She's going to check and call me back though.

Lucy101 - reading your post makes me feel better so thank you for replying.

My fertility consultant has me on 25mg (1000iu) of Vit D as part of MC prevention, so I am assuming it is safe :)

I just checked the amount and it is 20,000iu which should make you feel better.

Wow. i'm wondering if I'm perhaps taking too much Vit D myself. I have multiple sclerosis, and one of the things my neurologist in the US (I'm American) tested me for was vitD levels, and mine were shockingly low (almost zero). So ever since then I've taken quite high dosages of vitD - and I can actually tell a difference (before BFP) when I wasn't getting enough. I've been consistently taking about 10,000IU/day. Now I'm worried it might be doing harm since I'm only about 5/6 weeks along.

I looked into this when I remembered I should be taking vit D supplements, and picked some up in tesco. When I saw that mine were 25mcg and the NHS advice was for 10mcg per day I panicked a bit.

However all the research-based articles I found indicated even much higher doses of vit D are beneficial in pregnancy. I'm sticking with my 25mcg and hoping it's not leaving me short.

I wonder if the NHS advice is just out of date.

I am prescribed and take 40,000iu once a month

The amount recommended in this country is far lower than research suggests and other countries recommend. There are studies yet to be published which will, I believe, lead to an increase in the amount we are told to take. So i wouldn't worry :)

I take 25mcg daily as I have low vitamin D levels. I've been told not to stop taking it.

Good to hear Misty. When my neuro first told me (about 2yr ago) that my vitD levels were low, he had me taking 70,000IU/wk. After 6mo, my level still wasn't in the normal range, so my having MS definitely impacts vitD even before getting pregnant.

Hi everyone. I got a response from my midwife on Friday evening. She'd contacted a research team who said I was ok with the level I had been taking but said to take the combined folic acid and vitamin D with the lower level of 10 mcg. She said that what I had been taking would be fine and the baby would be ok and I didn't need a break to let the higher level run low in my body. I explained that it was my first child and I have never taken vitamins before and didn't know there were differing levels within them. I have a balanced diet and am fairly healthy. So I've had my mind put to rest. Thanks for all your replies though. I hope everyone else who has concerns gets some good advice soon. Just thought I'd let everyone know.