Birth Defect News

Moderate Doses of Vitamin A Do Not Pose Risk of Birth Defects

Contrary to what many researchers had feared, doses of vitamin A commonly taken during pregnancy do not increase the chances that a woman will have a child with a birth defect, according to a study conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

Specifically, the study found that taking daily doses of between 8,000 and 10,000 International Units (I.U.) of vitamin A during pregnancy does not appear to cause birth defects. The study also showed that it is very rare for women to take more than 10,000 I.U. of the vitamin each day. Although this finding indicates that few women are taking doses that potentially could increase the risk of birth defects, the small number of women in this group limited the study's ability to determine if such high doses do indeed cause birth defects.

The study appears in the July issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
"There is no reason for women to take more than the Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin A," said the study's principal investigator, James Mills, Chief of NICHD's Pediatric Epidemiology Section. "But this study suggests that the larger doses that some women take during pregnancy is not likely to cause any problems."
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin A is 2,670 International Units. Dr. Mills explained that some women may consume between 8,000 and 10,000 IU of vitamin A (roughly triple the RDA), by taking vitamin pills and perhaps eating vitamin A fortified cereal as well.

If you or anyone you know has experienced the results of a birth defect or any other kind of medical malpractice, please contact us. We are here to help you.

	Did You Know?
	Risk For Having A Baby With A Birth Defect May Increase As A Woman Gets Older Women who are 35 years of age or older have a greater chance of having a baby with Down syndrome. Of the known causes of mental retardation, Down syndrome is the most common. It affects about 1 in 800 births. Down syndrome happens when there is an extra chromosome 21 (“trisomy 21”). Scientists have not proven that other birth defects, genetic or otherwise, are linked to the mother’s age.