Warning over multi-vitamin risk to unborn babies

An investigation by Trading Standards watchdogs and a birth defects charity has revealed that many expectant mothers may be harming their unborn children by taking certain food supplements, including multi-vitamins.

The survey found that many mums-to-be are being misled by inadequate labelling on multi-vitamin supplements, which fail to warn of the risk of taking vitamin A supplements in pregnancy.

Anecdotal evidence obtained from the Birth Defects Foundation Newlife charity’s helpline indicated that many women planning a pregnancy, and during pregnancy, take a general multi-vitamin supplement in the belief that they are doing the best thing for them and their baby.

However a recent survey of these multi-vitamins has found that the majority include Vitamin A, a supplement which should clearly be avoided during pregnancy. Many of the products on sale failed to carry any sort of warning to this effect.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards has joined with BDF Newlife to call for a vitamin A warning to be made compulsory on all multi-vitamin products. Guidelines from the Food Standards Agency and National Institute for Clinical Excellence clearly state that vitamin A supplements should be avoided in pregnancy.

Professor Michael Patton, Medical Director of BDF Newlife said: “BDF Newlife recommends that women who are pregnant or likely to become pregnant should avoid supplements of Vitamin A or multi-vitamin tablets containing Vitamin A, as this may cause damage to the developing baby in the womb.”

The findings are released in the week that the European Court of Justice backed the decision to introduce tighter restrictions on the sale of natural remedies and mineral and vitamin supplements.

Nigel Strick, Head of Oxfordshire’s Trading Standards at Oxfordshire County Council, was disappointed that the labelling varied so much. He said: “Almost two thirds of the multi-vitamins we checked carried a warning for pregnant women, so it is hard to understand why the industry as a whole hasn’t adopted a consistent approach; why so many products do not carry the same health warning.

“This is a clear example of why the European Court was right to look at the existing controls over the sale of food supplements and for ways in which to safeguard the health of consumers.”

Further information may be found at www.bdfnewlife.co.uk about which supplements are advised to be taken during pregnancy and those to be avoided or by calling the nurse Helpline on 08700 707020.

(SP/GB)