Vitamin A, also known as retinol, is found in fat and plays an important role in vision, immunity, bone development, and epithelial cell differentiation of the fetus. This nutrient is transported from mother to child through the placenta during pregnancy, birth and through the mammary glands during breastfeeding.
Vitamin A is stored in the body for a long time. If a pregnant woman accidentally takes a high dose or uses it to treat acne, it can cause birth defects in the fetus. Babies are susceptible to spina bifida, cleft palate, malformations of ears, eyes, limbs, kidneys, genitals, heart, thyroid, bones, kidneys, heart structure, nervous system… Risks This is higher when women take high doses in the first 60 days after conception.
Many studies show that children born to mothers who consume more than 10,000 IU of vitamin A per day have a 2.4 times higher risk of birth defects than those who consume 5,000 IU or less. If exposed to 20,000 IU daily during the first three months of pregnancy, babies are about 4 times more likely to have cleft lip, cleft palate, hydrocephalus and heart defects. High levels of vitamin A in a pregnant woman’s body in the first three months of pregnancy also increase the risk of miscarriage.
Routine prenatal vitamin A supplementation is not recommended. Except for areas and countries with severe vitamin A deficiency, pregnant women are recommended to supplement to prevent night blindness. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a maximum vitamin A supplement dose of 10,000 IU per day for 60 days before pregnancy, not to exceed 25,000 IU per week.
Although the amount of vitamin A you are using to treat acne is unknown, it is best to stop immediately. You should see an obstetrician and have a blood test for vitamin A levels. The doctor will closely monitor, evaluate the fetus’s condition, and screen for the risk of fetal defects. Modern prenatal screening methods such as ultrasound, placenta biopsy, amniocentesis, umbilical cord aspiration, NIPT… can promptly detect abnormalities if any.
Doctors at Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi, perform an ultrasound to screen for the risk of fetal malformations. Image: Hospital provided
You need to maintain a healthy balanced diet to ensure adequate provision of nutrients for both yourself and your fetus. Pregnant women should supplement vitamin A with about 8,000 IU per day.
The body cannot synthesize vitamin A on its own, the main source is through the diet. This vitamin has two main forms: metabolized vitamin A (in the form of retinol and retinyl ester) and provitamin A (carotenoids, mainly beta-carotene and alpha-carotene) found in animal liver, tuna, and fish. anise, egg yolks, milk and dairy products. Carrots, pumpkin, kale, tomatoes, bell peppers, papaya, oranges, apples, and bananas are also rich in provitamin A.
You should choose a variety of foods so your body can absorb the best nutrients. Closely monitor symptoms of vitamin A poisoning such as nausea, dizziness, headaches, and bone and joint pain to see a doctor and get timely treatment.