What birth defects are caused by vitamin A?
Total intakes of preformed vitamin A that exceed the UL and some synthetic retinoids used as topical therapies (such as isotretinoin and etretinate) can cause congenital birth defects [2-4]. These birth defects can include malformations of the eye, skull, lungs, and heart [4].
Why vitamin A is not good for pregnancy?
Given that vitamin A is fat soluble, your body stores excess amounts in the liver. This accumulation can have toxic effects on the body and lead to liver damage. It can even cause birth defects. For example, excessive amounts of vitamin A during pregnancy has been shown to cause congenital birth abnormalities.
Is vitamin A linked to birth defects?
Women who consume excessive amounts of vitamin A during the early months of pregnancy can cause serious birth defects in their unborn children, a large new study has shown.
What are the 5 types of birth defects?
What are the types of birth defects?
- Cleft lip or cleft palate.
- Heart defects, such as missing or misshaped valves.
- Abnormal limbs, such as a clubfoot.
- Neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, and problems related to the growth and development of the brain and spinal cord.
How many mg of vitamin A is safe during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, there is an increase of approximately 10% to 20% [33] in the need for vitamin A, with the recommended dose being 800 µg/day. It may be difficult to obtain this dose through diet alone, particularly in populations affected by VAD [14]. For prenatal care, vitamin A is available in several formulations.
How much vitamin A is safe?
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin A is 900 mcg and 700 mcg per day for men and women, respectively — which can be easily reached by following a whole-foods diet ( 27 ). However, it’s important not to exceed the tolerable upper limit (UL) of 10,000 IU (3,000 mcg) for adults to prevent toxicity ( 27 ).
How much vitamin A is bad for pregnancy?
Because of the teratogenic effects secondary to excessive vitamin A intake, the WHO recommends as safe during pregnancy a maximum dose of up to 10,000 IU daily or 25,000 IU weekly after the first 60 days of gestation [10,12,38].
What foods contain vitamin A to avoid during pregnancy?
If you’re pregnant or thinking of having a baby: avoid taking supplements containing vitamin A, including fish liver oil, unless advised to by your GP. avoid liver or liver products, such as pâté, as these are very high in vitamin A.
Which vitamin A is bad for pregnancy?
During pregnancy, it’s important not to get too much preformed vitamin A, which can cause birth defects and liver toxicity in high doses. (However, it’s safe and beneficial to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables high in carotenoids.)
How much vitamin A is too much when pregnant?
Vitamin A: No more than 4,000 IU (800 ug). Taking too much vitamin A can be dangerous. That’s why many manufacturers have reduced the amount of vitamin A in their vitamin supplements or have replaced it with beta-carotene, a much safer source of the vitamin. Folic acid: At least 400 to 600 mcg.
What is the number 1 birth defect?
The most common birth defects are: heart defects. cleft lip/palate. Down syndrome.
Why is there no link between vitamin A and birth defects?
The lack of relationship of high intake of vitamin A from food is curious, and may have been due to errors from the use of food preference recall for the year prior to pregnancy. After all, dietary preferences may change during pregnancy, a fact acknowledged by the authors.
Can a woman consume too much vitamin A during pregnancy?
Women who consume excessive amounts of vitamin A during the early months of pregnancy can cause serious birth defects in their unborn children, a large new study has shown.
When does a child have a vitamin A deficiency?
In developing countries, vitamin A deficiency typically begins during infancy, when infants do not receive adequate supplies of colostrum or breast milk [14]. Chronic diarrhea also leads to excessive loss of vitamin A in young children, and vitamin A deficiency increases the risk of diarrhea [5,15].
Are there any health risks from vitamin A?
Health Risks from Excessive Vitamin A. Unlike preformed vitamin A, beta-carotene is not known to be teratogenic or lead to reproductive toxicity [ 1 ]. And even large supplemental doses (20–30 mg/day) of beta-carotene or diets with high levels of carotenoid-rich food for long periods are not associated with toxicity.