Vitamin A in pregnancy

Vitamin A contributes to the development of one of the most intricate and extraordinary parts of your baby’s body – their eyes. It’s also important for their immunity and skin cell production¹, as well as helping to develop the millions of tiny air sacs, called alveoli, in your baby’s lungs. These allow oxygen to transfer into the blood, and carbon dioxide to transfer back out².

A healthy supply of vitamin A during pregnancy builds up your baby’s natural stores in preparation for the first few months of life³. A low level of vitamin A can affect your baby’s immune function after birth, leaving them more susceptible to infection and illness³.

Due to its supporting role in the immune system, vitamin A benefits your own health throughout pregnancy too⁴.

Getting the right amount of vitamin A during pregnancy is a bit of a balancing act. 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.

Your Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) of vitamin A in pregnancy – the amount considered to be enough to meet most people’s needs – is slightly higher than normal, at 100mcg per day⁶. Half a cup of raw carrots contains 459mcg of vitamin A, and half a cup of broccoli contains 60mcg of vitamin A⁷.

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. Read more about a healthy breastfeeding diet.

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.

Vitamin A is found in dairy foods, oily fish and some fruit and vegetables, and comes in two forms:

Retinol – this form of vitamin A comes from animal-derived foods¹. Good sources during pregnancy include:

• Cheese
  
• Yoghurt
• Eggs which carry the British Lion mark

Beta-carotene – responsible for giving certain fruit and vegetables their orange colour, your body can convert beta-carotene into vitamin A¹. Good sources include:

• Carrots
• Oranges
• Sweet potatoes
• Apricots

Try increasing your intake with these vitamin A-rich snacks and meals:

• Apricot, mixed seed & vanilla muesli
  
• Blackberry & raspberry ginger yoghurt pots
  
• A hard-boiled egg
• Sweet potato with homemade beans & feta