All information in this article is for educational purposes only. It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.
Article written by Dr. Suuzi Hazen, March 2024. Updated October 2026.
Many pregnant women are told to avoid liver due to concerns about its safety during pregnancy. But is this caution really necessary? Let's take a closer look.
What Happened in the 1960s?
During the 1960s, some experiments were conducted on hogs where mother pigs were given high amounts of Vitamin A, leading to birth defects in some of the babies. This led to concern about liver consumption during pregnancy. (Liver is a food that is naturally rich in retinol, the preformed version of Vitamin A.)
The Real Question Is Dose
Retinol, the preformed vitamin A found in liver and in many supplements, is linked to birth defects at very high intakes, whichever source it comes from. The upper limit in pregnancy is 10,000 IU of preformed vitamin A a day. A modest serving of liver fits comfortably under that: a full serving of our liver pills (6 capsules) gives about 2,500 IU.
A Better Approach
Rather than avoiding liver entirely, add up your sources of preformed vitamin A (liver, liver pills, cod liver oil, and any multivitamin or prenatal) and keep the total under 10,000 IU a day. Natural sources of vitamin A, such as liver, can be part of a nourishing pregnancy diet when eaten in moderation.
Final Thoughts
There's so much confusing pregnancy diet advice out there, and food rules differ around the world. That's worth a conversation with your provider.
Please always feel comfortable discussing these topics with your doctor, midwife, or other health professional. Remember, they work for YOU, not the other way around. Nutrition training varies among providers, so it's fine to ask questions and bring your own research.
More Resources for Healthy Nutrition during Pregnancy
Weston A Price Foundation pregnancy diet recommendations
Lily Nichols, RD: Real Food for Pregnancy