Just got back from the doctors and now I'm scared :-(

[suzym1984]

Hi everyone!

Well i only found out that I am pregnant yesterday, and the worrying has already started!I had an appt at the doctors today, where I mentioned that I have been taking multivitamins. He then said that I shouldnt have been taking vitamin A as it can cause problems. So I now sitting here shaking, crying and worrying!

The tablets contain 800 micrograms...does anyone know how bad this is? I dont dare look at the internet in case it scares me more

I really wouldn't worry - it's excessive Vit A.

Vitamin A
There have been concerns about using vitamin A during pregnancy. These concerns came about for two reasons. One was the result of a women eating vast and regular amounts of liver during her pregnancy. Liver contains large amount of the animal form of vitamin A, which is known as retinol. The other instance was linked to the use of medications for acne during pregnancy. A number of these preparations contain synthetic vitamin A.

Research has shown that there can be a problem with high doses of retinol (the animal form of vitamin A) during pregnancy. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that pregnant women who take high doses of retinol on a daily basis increase their risk of having a handicapped baby. The danger threshold appeared to be daily doses in excess of 10,000iu, which give you a 1 in 57 chance of having a baby with birth defects. Interestingly, also the study also supported the fact that beta-carotene (the plant form of vitamin A) is a safer alternative to vitamin A. Apparently the retinoids (in the animal version) and not the carotenoids (in vegetable version) are the cause of birth defects. Even at high doses beta-carotene does not raise vitamin A levels in the body sufficiently to cause defects in an unborn baby.

Unfortunately, this type of information causes women to swing from one extreme to the other. Doctors have recommended that no vitamin A be taken during pregnancy, the consequence of which mean that deficiency is becoming a problem. Vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy can have devastating effects. Vitamin A has antioxidant and protective properties similar to those found in the mineral selenium, which can protect against cell mutation. It is essential for healthy eyes and animal studies show that a deficiency of vitamin A has produced animals with no eyes, eye defects, undescended testes and hernias of the diaphragm, which means that breathing can be a problem.

Even worse, women who develop pre-eclampsia have been found to be deficient in vitamin A but not beta-carotene. How can this occur? If there is a retinol deficiency, it's possible that the body isn't converting beta-carotene properly.

I will try and find out what 10,000 iu is in micrograms, but you really will be fine

Don't worry - the real risks associated with Vitamin A in pregnancy are for far higher amounts. As with all contra-indicated substances, the official advice is to take none at all, but the small dose you have had will NOT have harmed your baby. Congratulations btw and welcome to the guilt trip that is the world of motherhood

Id imagine being a vitamin it wouldn't be the animal vit. A they are on about - what vitamins were you taking? YOu'd have to probably have to eat an awful lot of Vit A throughtout the pregnancy to cause concern.

Thanks for all the replies. I am just so scared now that I have done something wrong. I was just taking a general mutli vitamin and thought I was doing the right thing

I guess I'll just have to try and calm down!

I found out I was pregnant with DS 3 days after going on a massive bender where I must have drunk at least 1/2 a bottle of gin (convinced myself that the morning sickness was a hangover, so I drank more - hair of the dog and all) I beat myself up over it for ages.

I was so upset that there would be something wrong with DS. GP told me to stop drinking and stop worrying. What is done is done, and as long as you do your best from now on, no-one can say you didn't do your best for your baby.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with DS by the way. In fact developmentally he was very fast (getting teeth early etc...)

Please try not to worry. I'm sure everything will be fine.

[sending virtual hugs]

I really wouldn't worry. Chances are that if you only found out yesterday, you haven't actually pregnant for very long - it can take around a week for implantation to take place after conception and tests will start to be positive only a few days later.

It's definitely best to take a prenatal multivitamin as then you know it should be safe, but the main reason for taking them rather than normal multivitamins is for the folic acid.

So many women do things they shouldn't do before they find out they're pregnant and their babies are fine. The main thing is to try to stop worrying (stress is bad for you long term) and follow guidance from now on.

Oh dear, it sounds like your doc could have been a bit more encouraging!

A friend of mine didn't find out she was pregnant until 24 weeks, so hadn't taken folic acid or stopped drinking. Her son was perfectly fine.

If you're someone who likes to take vitamins there are plenty that are specifically designed for pregnant women and contain folic acid too, so perhaps you could swap to those for peace of mind.

Congrats on your pregnancy, good on yer!

Thanks everyone! I will definately take the advice and switch to prenatal vitamins. And TRY not to stress too much.

Skippingturtle- you are right about the doctor, he had me in complete mess and his only advice was to ring nhs direct when I got home!