Vitamin E's Role During Pregnancy

Vitamin E was discovered as a “fertility factor” in 1922

Vitamin E has antioxidant properties that decrease oxidative stress within the body. During pregnancy, increased oxidative stress has been linked to pre-eclampsia & intrauterine growth restriction.

Here are a few ways in which Vitamin E plays a role during pregnancy.

🔸Vitamin E plays a major role in the early development of an embryo’s nervous system.
🔸Critical for the development of embryo’s eyes and head.
🔸Deficiency can lead to anemia, increased infections, stunted growth, neurological disorders, muscle deterioration, or cardiomyopathy
🔸Improves blood circulation in the mother which improves blood circulation in the placenta. This implies that oxygen reaches the baby & the baby is in a healthy womb environment.

Vitamin E Rich Foods

Leafy green vegetables like spinach, broccoli, cabbage
Nuts & seeds: hazelnuts, almonds, sunflower, pumpkin
Eggs
Avocados

Vitamin C regenerates vitamin E by reducing vitamin E radicals formed when vitamin E scavenges the oxygen radicals.

High Dosage of Vitamin E may cause complications in pregnancy. Therefore, you need to be careful regarding the dosage of Vitamin E that you consume & checking your levels are critical with an easy blood test.

The NIH recommends that adults get at least 15 mg of vitamin E in their diets every day, with an increase to 19 mg for lactating mothers. They warn that the tolerable upper limit per day is 1,000 mg (or 1 g) for all adults, including pregnant or lactating mothers.

***This is not medical advice. Speak with your doctor regarding dosage.