Vitamin A and Birth Defects — Continuing Caution is Needed

Vitamins are essential to good health, yet the consumption of excessive amounts of some vitamins, particularly A and D, can lead to toxicity. In this issue of the Journal, Rothman et al. 1 add to a body of evidence suggesting that the consumption of too much vitamin A by pregnant women may cause bir...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe New England journal of medicine Vol. 333; no. 21; pp. 1414 - 1415
Main Authors Oakley, Godfrey P, Erickson, J. David
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Massachusetts Medical Society 23.11.1995
Subjects
Abnormalities, Drug-Induced - etiology
Birth defects
Dietary supplements
Female
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Pregnancy
Risk
Vitamin A
Vitamin A - administration & dosage
Vitamin A - adverse effects
Womens health
United States > US
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Summary:Vitamins are essential to good health, yet the consumption of excessive amounts of some vitamins, particularly A and D, can lead to toxicity. In this issue of the Journal, Rothman et al. 1 add to a body of evidence suggesting that the consumption of too much vitamin A by pregnant women may cause birth defects. On the other hand, the Public Health Service recommends that all women capable of becoming pregnant should consume 0.4 mg of folic acid daily to prevent the serious and common birth defects spina bifida and anencephaly. 2 – 4 It is important for women and their physicians not . . .
ISSN:0028-4793
1533-4406
DOI:10.1056/NEJM199511233332109