We’re frequently asked in our comment section about: should i avoid vitamin a during pregnancy.
Why You Need Vitamin A During Pregnancy
Vitamin A is important for your baby’s embryonic growth, including the development of the heart, lungs, kidneys, eyes, and bones as well as the circulatory, respiratory, and central nervous systems. Vitamin A is particularly essential for women who are about to give birth because it helps with postpartum tissue repair. It also helps maintain normal vision, fights infections, supports your immune system, and helps with fat metabolism.
Why Is Vitamin A So Important During Pregnancy?
Getting the right amount of vitamin A during pregnancy is a bit of a balancing act. If you aim to eat a healthy balanced diet, you should be getting all the vitamin A you need and should avoid taking any additional supplements containing it. A healthy intake will ensure your baby gets the nutritional support they need for normal development.
If you’d like any more advice, do speak to your healthcare professional. Half a cup of raw carrots contains 459mcg of vitamin A, and half a cup of broccoli contains 60mcg of vitamin A7. You can always talk to your midwife or healthcare professional if you’d like any more advice.
While a healthy intake is important throughout your pregnancy, your risk of deficiency is higher during your third trimester when requirements increase due to your baby’s accelerated development and increased blood volume. Your body naturally prioritises your baby’s needs, which is why you need more4. The good news is, you should be able to get all the vitamin A you need by enjoying a healthy, balanced pregnancy diet.
How Much Vitamin A Do You Need When You’Re Pregnant?
Too much can harm your developing baby and lead to birth defects1, while too little carries certain risks to you and your baby’s development5. If you aim to eat a healthy balanced diet, you should be getting all the vitamin A you need and should avoid taking any additional supplements containing it. A healthy intake will ensure your baby gets the nutritional support they need for normal development.
And because it’s a fat-soluble vitamin, your body can build up stores of it in your liver, ready for when you need it. If you’d like any more advice, do speak to your healthcare professional. If you decide to breastfeed your baby, you shouldn’t need to make any special dietary changes but it’s a good idea to eat healthily.
You can always talk to your midwife or healthcare professional if you’d like any more advice. While a healthy intake is important throughout your pregnancy, your risk of deficiency is higher during your third trimester when requirements increase due to your baby’s accelerated development and increased blood volume. The good news is, you should be able to get all the vitamin A you need by enjoying a healthy, balanced pregnancy diet.
Abstract
Vitamin A is a crucial micronutrient for pregnant women and their fetuses. Vitamin A requirements during pregnancy are therefore greater. In contrast, in some developed countries, excessive vitamin A intake during pregnancy can be a concern since, when in excess, this micronutrient may exert teratogenic effects in the first 60 days following conception.
Keywords: Vitamin A, vitamin A deficiency, pregnancy.