I am 16 weeks pregnant. I started taking some vitamin supplements, after the first trimester. I took one tablet with food for 8 days when I discovered they had a high content of Vitamin A retinol (770mcg)I researched this and read that high amounts of vitamin A can cause birth defects. I immediately stopped taking them. I am very concerned that I have exceed the recommended daily intake of Vitamin A over those 8 days and have harmed my baby in some way. I have no idea how much vitamin a I was getting from food, ontop of the supplement. I know they don't recommend consuming more than 3000mcg per day. I am fairly healthy and only quite small, weighing 55 kilograms at 4 months pregnant. I am really worried that I have harmed my baby. Please advise. Thanks...

In order for Vitamin A to be harmful it would have to be taken in large doses over long period of time; you were only taking it for 8 days.

However, the vitamin in Pregnancy multivitamins don't include retinol, the animal form of vitamin A, which can be toxic to unborn babies in large doses. If they contain vitamin A at all, it will be the type of vitamin A that occurs in plants. This is called betacarotene and is safe for your baby. \

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