Vitamin A in my Prenatal

[pizzawinecake]

Hi all

Having a bit of a panic attack. I am almost 10 weeks pregnant and have been taking a prenatal for the past 6 months which my American Dr aunty (she has worked in embryology) has given me.

I have just realised it has 1200 mcg/ 5000 iu of Vitamin A in it and am now panicking about the fact excess vitamin A can cause birth defects.

My logical side of me did some research and concluded that in the US all prenatals seem to include Vit A and unlike the UK they recommend some Vit A to be in a prenatal. I also concluded that under 10000 iu of Vit A is unlikely to cause any harm.

Even knowing this I can't shake the worry/ fear I have done something to harm my baby, so looking for any reassurance from anyone else that knows about Vit A intake during pregnancy.

Thanks

Does it say what form the vitamin A is in? Beta carotene is fine to take during pregnancy as your body converts what it needs into vitamin A, so it can't accumulate in your body. Prenatals that contain vitamin A usually have it in the form of beta carotene.

It's unlikely to cause harm if it's in a pren a prenatal vitamin, but if you are unhappy, for your own peace of mind, stop taking this one and switch to another

Depends on the source of the vitamin A. If its animal sourced then avoid. If its beta carotene then its fine

I had exactly the same panic! I think I wasn't even taking a specialist prenatal vitamin - just a general antioxidant vitamin that had a high amount of vitamin A. Spent ages researching and adding up the mg I had been taking. My son is a strapping 6 year old now; wish I hadn't worried myself so much!
The amount you have been taking is completely fine - they wouldn't add it to a supplement FOR pregnant women if it wasn't.
As said above - if it's in the form of Beta Carotene, your body won't absorb too much anyway. Just stop taking this brand so you can forget about it, and switch to a different type.

Please don't worry!

Thanks for the replies. It was from retinol, so not beta carotene.

I have done a fair bit of research since and concluded that it's probably fine, well under toxic amounts (3000 mcg/ 10,000 ui a day is top level tolerance apparently) but still feel pretty worried as the UK is very much against any renitol Vitamin A to be included in prenatals.

I find it bizarre that the advice in the US so opposite though and it's in prenatals as standard. My IVF clinic has suggested I have a scan this weekend just in case to reassure myself.