Most pregnant women are well aware of the risks of consuming high-mercury fish and undercooked meats during pregnancy, but you don't often hear about the dangers of less common foods like liver. Liver is a nutrient-rich food, so much so that it may actually deliver high amounts of certain vitamins which can pose a danger to your baby when eaten in excess. Talk to your doctor about eating liver.
Dangers of Liver
Liver sounds like it would be an ideal food for pregnant women: It's a good source of protein and is rich in essential nutrients like iron, folic acid and vitamin A. But the amount and type of vitamin A found in liver can actually be dangerous during pregnancy. Liver contains very high amounts of preformed vitamin A, also known as retinol, which may cause birth defects, especially when consumed during the early months of pregnancy, reports BabyCenter.
Preformed Vitamin A
Retinol is one of two types of vitamin A, and the only one considered unsafe when eaten in excess during pregnancy. In addition to liver, preformed vitamin A can also be found in eggs, milk and other animal products, but liver is one of very few food sources that contains dangerously high amounts. A serving of cow's liver may contain as much as 30,000 IUs of preformed vitamin A, which is three times the 10,000 IU daily limit recommended for pregnant women.
Considerations
While there exist no studies proving that liver can cause birth defects, there is evidence linking birth defects to excess intake of preformed vitamin A during pregnancy, according to the March of Dimes. Pregnant women should also be cautious about consuming cod liver oil, which contains nearly half the daily limit for retinol; if you're interested in taking fish oil for the omega-3 benefits, talk to your doctor about choosing the right supplement.
Provitamin A Carotenoids
It's important to understand the difference between the preformed vitamin A found in liver and the provitamin A carotenoids found in fruits and vegetables. Your body uses these provitamin A carotenoids to make vitamin A when needed, and there's no risk of taking in too much, so you don't have to worry about eating too many vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables. In fact, vitamin A plays an important role in the development of your baby's heart, lungs, kidneys, eyes and bones, as well as her respiratory, circulatory and nervous systems.
