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Vitamin A During Pregnancy |
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Late -
Pregnancy
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Vitamin A During Pregnancy Vitamin A is essential to human reproduction. Vitamin-A deficiency in North America is rare; most women have adequate stores of the vitamin in the liver.
What concerns doctors now is the excessive use of vitamin A before conception and during early pregnancy. (This concern extends only to the retinol forms of vitamin A, often derived from fish oils. The beta-carotene form, usually derived from plants, is believed to be safe.) Studies indicate that elevated levels of the retinol form of vitamin A during pregnancy may cause birth defects, including cleft palate and hydrocephalus ("water on the brain").
The RDA of vitamin A is 2,700 international units (IU) a day for a woman of childbearing age (5,000 IU is a maximum dosage). The requirement is the same whether a woman is pregnant or not. Most women get the vitamin A they need during pregnancy from the foods they eat. Supplementation during pregnancy is not recommended. Be cautious about taking any substances that you have not discussed with your doctor. This includes vitamin A.
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