Vitamin A In Pregnancy: Importance, Dosage, And Sources

An adequate intake of vitamin A in pregnancy can benefit maternal and fetal well-being. Read on to know the importance of vitamin A in pregnancy and the right amount to consume? Why Is Vitamin A Important During Pregnancy.

* Preformed vitamin A (from animal sources): It includes retinol and retinyl esters directly absorbed in the body. According to the National Institute of Health, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin A for pregnant women between the ages of 19 and 50 years is 770 micrograms (3)? A balanced diet should supply the required vitamin A during pregnancy.

An intake of more than 4500mcg RAE (15,000 IU) of dietary vitamin A or 3000mcg RAE (10,000 IU) of supplemental vitamin A can lead to toxicity, also termed hypervitaminosis. A few studies state that vitamin A toxicity during the early stages of pregnancy could lead to congenital malformations (2) (4).

Hence, consume foods rich in vitamin A as part of a balanced diet and avoid supplementation during pregnancy unless prescribed by your doctor. Apart from supplements, regular liver intake may also cause vitamin A toxicity since it is rich in this nutrient. * Avoid taking vitamin A supplements if you consume liver and other food preparations made with liver frequently * Speak to your doctor before taking any prenatal vitamin supplements to prevent overdosing * Generally multivitamins proposed to pregnant women contains no of few vitamin A units * Include vitamin A-rich foods as part of a balanced diet and avoid overeating a specific food item You may speak to a dietician who can design a diet plan for adequate vitamin A intake based on your age and pregnancy trimester The role of vitamin A in maintaining skin integrity has made it a crucial ingredient in many skin care products Physicians usually prescribe creams devoid of vitamin A or retinol derivatives during pregnancy (7) You should avoid taking multivitamins with vitamin A and exclusive vitamin A supplements during pregnancy unless directed otherwise by your doctor (8) A balanced and healthy diet can usually meet your daily requirements of vitamin A in pregnancy If you have low levels of vitamin A in your body, your healthcare provider may prescribe a supplementation plan to improve vitamin A levels for a healthy pregnancy * Vitamin A.https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-a/ * Vitamin A And Pregnancy: A Narrative Reviewhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6470929/ * Vitamin A.https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/ * Vitamin A Toxicity And Birth Defects.https://www.jandonline.org/article/S0002-8223(97)00119-3/fulltext * RetinoidsAs Teratogens.https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/retinoids-teratogens * Teratogenicity Of High Vitamin A Intake.https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJM199511233332101?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov * Safety Of Skin Care Products During Pregnancyhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3114665/ * Vitamins and supplements in pregnancy.https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/pregnancy/vitamins-and-supplements-pregnancy/.