Recommendations for the administration of vitamin A in pregnancy

Abstract

During pregnancy vitamin A supplementation cannot generally be recommended, since an average diet contains a sufficient amount (7500 IE/day) of vitamin A, since a typical malformation pattern has been observed after excessive doses of vitamin A during human pregnancy, and since some vitamin A derivatives are embryotoxic and teratogenic both in animals and humans. Particular reference is given to the recommendations of the American Teratology Society for the use of vitamin A during pregnancy.