# Vitamin C causes miscarriages? WHAT?!



## cooney

So someone told me that taking allot of vitamin C has been a way that allot of women have purposefully induced an abortion. Some have told me too much causes miscarriages.

I'M FREAKING OUT!!!

I thought vitamin C was good! I have been eating like 3 small oranges a day and having a glass of OJ for breakfast every morning.


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## Hailstone

Oh god me too! Now I'm freaking out!


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## cooney

Sorry :dohh:


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## Hailstone

OK stopped freaking out now lol, surely this cant be true? every website i've read said extra vit C is not only good for you but needed too! :blush:


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## cooney

Yeah but I googled "Citamin C induced abortion" and got alot of hits...

its not like I want to be right
I hope to god im wrong


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## Jkelmum

Well if its true ive fluked 3 healthy pregnancies so far ...my craving was satsuma.s i ate them by the bag full and why when i was down with flu the doc advised me to have plenty of vit c ? i think your friend is wrong


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## Jkelmum

Why do I need vitamin C?
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is essential for tissue repair, wound and bone healing, and healthy skin. Vitamin C also helps your body fight infection.

Both you and your baby need this vitamin daily &#8212; it's the cementing agent that holds new cells together. It helps your baby grow and builds strong bones and teeth. And it helps your body absorb iron. Try to include a vitamin C-rich food with every meal to get the most iron out of the other foods you eat.

How much do I need?
You'll need at least 85 mg of vitamin C daily during pregnancy &#8212; about what you'd expect to get if you drink a small glass of orange juice. That goes up to 120 mg when you're breastfeeding.

Should I take a supplement?
Probably not. It's easy to get the daily requirements through food. A glass of calcium-fortified orange juice at breakfast every day is all you need.

What are the best food sources?
Citrus fruits, tomatoes, tomato juice, potatoes, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and spinach are all good sources. It's best to get your vitamin C from fresh sources such as these:

&#8226; 8 oz. orange juice: 124 mg

&#8226; 1 papaya: 93.9 mg

&#8226; 1 cup strawberries: 84.5 mg

&#8226; 8 oz. grapefruit juice: 72 mg

&#8226; 1/2 cup boiled broccoli: 58.2 mg

&#8226; 1/2 pink or red grapefruit: 23.4 mg

&#8226; 1 cup raspberries: 30.7 mg

&#8226; 1/2 mango: 28.7 mg

&#8226; 1 tomato: 23.5 mg

&#8226; 1/2 boiled cabbage: 18.2 mg

&#8226; 1/2 cup boiled beet greens: 17.9 mg


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## Jkelmum

Conception, pregnancy and breastfeeding. Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant that helps the woman's body deal with toxins during her pregnancy and helps her to form a healthy placenta. It also helps her intestine absorb more iron from foods, so she does not become anaemic. Vitamin C readily crosses the placenta to the baby, with the baby's blood levels reaching that of their mother. If women take more than 200 to 400mg per day during late pregnancy, up until the birth, this can make her baby's body 'dependent' on excess vitamin C, possibly leading to them experiencing a 'withdrawal' from the vitamin C soon after birth (developing scurvy signs). At this stage, there is no evidence that high doses of vitamin C taken during early pregnancy can cause birth defects, however very high doses (above 200mg a day) are not generally recommended during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. 

Pregnant women may be advised to take vitamin C with prescribed iron supplements during pregnancy (or to take their iron supplement with a drink rich in vitamin C, such as orange or blackcurrant juice). This is aimed at increasing the body's absorption of the iron supplement. You can read more in iron supplements.

Vitamin C has been prescribed by some doctors (in combination with vitamin E) to prevent high blood pressure during pregnancy and premature birth.


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## cooney

Wow I feel allot better. :oops:
I wish people who know nothing about pregnancy would stop giving me advice and scaring the crap out of me..!


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## Hailstone

cooney said:


> Wow I feel allot better. :oops:
> I wish people who know nothing about pregnancy would stop giving me advice and scaring the crap out of me..!

Amen to that LOL :D


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## Jkelmum

Glad you feel better ...as this is my forth i just dont listen anymore lol I do what i know was ok in last pregnancies as i know they are healthy children xxx


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## ScottishBaby

I'm glad your mind has settled as far as this is concerned because your friend is being ludicrous. Babies get a bad press these days for being weaklings who can't handle much of anything. Don't eat this, don't do that, don't, don't, don't. It's a wonder how the human race has been able to continue.....As long as your not drinking every night, smoking god knows what, eating raw meat and lifting weights, the baby will almost always be just fine.

I have to say this cos I'm eating a huge orange as we speak lol.


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## amslou

It is actually possible to OD on Vitamin C and the effects are horrible but you have to have A LOT to OD. I dont think you can OD on a few satsumas.


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## MustangTali

You can not OD on vit C. Its a water souluable vitamin and any unused vitimin will be excreted in youre urine.


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## helensamantha

MustangTali said:


> You can not OD on vit C. Its a water souluable vitamin and any unused vitimin will be excreted in youre urine.

Too much vit c results in stomach ache, wind and runny poop as your body try's to get rid of it but it shouldn't cause any long term damage - symptoms usually disappear when you stop taking extra vit c.

Xx


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## sarahwantland

Ok. I was sort of freaked out for a minute. :dohh:
Now I see that all that orange juice that I am drinking for the calcium, vitamin D and folate is still OK. For a moment there though..


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## jenmcn1

Let me give you a piece of advice...don't listen to other people! If there were foods to stay away from your doctor or midwife would have already toild you. If vit C was so bad then prenatal vitamins would NOT have that in them. I know how nerve wracking it can be in pregnancy, but when I was pregnant with my son I drank OJ all the time! The only problem with drinkin too much is the sugar content! I wouldn't worry about vit C and if you happen to get too much of it - your body will get rid of it throuigh your urine.


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## Arisa

okay while it is true that extremely high doses of vitamin C (the tabler/powder stuff) in conjunction with parsley infused boiling water etc (there is a recipe for "natural miscarriage" which includes sprigs of parsley, infused water and six times the regular amount of Vitamin C, there is no way you will m/c spontaneously from regular amounts of Vit C from a balanced diet of fruit and vegetables.

I have been craving oranges and apples daily and eating tons of berries all packed with vitamin c and its all fine.

Like I said it needs to be in conjunction with very very strong herbs which are advised against during pregnancy and an unusually high and unsafe amount of vitamin C which a normal person would not achieve anyway even with lots of fruits that contain it.
Everything in moderation is the best way to look at it, I mean even overdosing on drinking water is harmful but you have to be drinking Guinness world record amounts of the stuff and the same goes for vitamin C and most commonly vitamin C tablets and powder which you would not take without talking to a GP anyway during your pregnancy as too much plays havoc with your bowel, I know I used to take powdered vit C before pregnancy and it made my bowels very erratic

Hope that helped xoxoxo


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## JessPape

I eat oranges all the time, and drink calcium filled orange juice because im not getting enought caclium, (this was recommened by my doctor) along with my prenatal. I don't think you have anything to worry about.


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## TNW

I was sick a month ago or so and went through about 2 gallons of OJ in a week... baby is healthy.. just went for ultrasound friday all is good:)


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## JLK439

The only time it is possible for Vitamin C to cause a miscarriage is when you take it in excess amounts such as more than 1000mg a day.


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## sar89

vitamin c is known be used in high enough doses to bring on miscarraige but its in the 2000mg region.


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## ShellieLabTek

JLK439 said:


> The only time it is possible for Vitamin C to cause a miscarriage is when you take it in excess amounts such as more than 1000mg a day.




sar89 said:


> vitamin c is known be used in high enough doses to bring on miscarraige but its in the 2000mg region.

omg I was taking 2000 a day when I was pregnant. I cant believe it, I thought it was safe, everything I read said vit c was good for mom and babe! I killed my baby???????? :cry::cry::cry::cry::cry: I never read anywhere that too much was bad because it's water soluble and your body is supposed to get rid of whatever you don't need. I was taking a lot because my DB get's pneumonia very easily - last week was his 28th time getting pneumonia. I was taking it so I don't get sick and get him sick. I hate myself soo much right now :cry:


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## taylorxx

You have to consume a LOT of vitamin c, like basically "overdose" on vitamin c. It can cause miscarriage and can even bring on a period because it causes the uterine to contract. It's completely safe to eat oranges and drink oj, just don't over do it :) I wouldn't take an extra vit c supplement though xx


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## corgankidd

ShellieLabTek said:


> JLK439 said:
> 
> 
> The only time it is possible for Vitamin C to cause a miscarriage is when you take it in excess amounts such as more than 1000mg a day.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sar89 said:
> 
> 
> vitamin c is known be used in high enough doses to bring on miscarraige but its in the 2000mg region.Click to expand...
> 
> omg I was taking 2000 a day when I was pregnant. I cant believe it, I thought it was safe, everything I read said vit c was good for mom and babe! I killed my baby???????? :cry::cry::cry::cry::cry: I never read anywhere that too much was bad because it's water soluble and your body is supposed to get rid of whatever you don't need. I was taking a lot because my DB get's pneumonia very easily - last week was his 28th time getting pneumonia. I was taking it so I don't get sick and get him sick. I hate myself soo much right now :cry:Click to expand...

Oh sweety, please don't blame yourself for your miscarriage! The odds are it just wasn't a viable pregnancy and your vitamins had nothing to do with it. I'm so sorry for your loss and I hope you get another sticky bun in the oven soon! :hugs:
:


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## Jelebi

A lot of Vitamin C can induce a lot of things, just like any type of mineral and vitamin can trigger a toxic effect including miscarriage, but we are talking a LOT of units of Vitamin C. 

taylorxx said it well when she mentioned the "overdose" level.
Put it this way, in order to induce anything, you'd have to ingest about 2-3 bottles of Vitamin C. So the typical daily intake that one takes is nowhere near close to inducing anything harmful.


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## Emerald87

ShellieLabTek said:


> JLK439 said:
> 
> 
> The only time it is possible for Vitamin C to cause a miscarriage is when you take it in excess amounts such as more than 1000mg a day.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sar89 said:
> 
> 
> vitamin c is known be used in high enough doses to bring on miscarraige but its in the 2000mg region.Click to expand...
> 
> omg I was taking 2000 a day when I was pregnant. I cant believe it, I thought it was safe, everything I read said vit c was good for mom and babe! I killed my baby???????? :cry::cry::cry::cry::cry: I never read anywhere that too much was bad because it's water soluble and your body is supposed to get rid of whatever you don't need. I was taking a lot because my DB get's pneumonia very easily - last week was his 28th time getting pneumonia. I was taking it so I don't get sick and get him sick. I hate myself soo much right now :cry:Click to expand...

NO NO NO, DO NOT blame yourself for you m/c honey, please. You didn't do anything wrong and nothing would have changed it. Most m/c's are a spontaneous, uncontrollable mutation that you could do nothing about. Others are caused by trauma and serious drugs etc. You DID NOT do this. Your body can regulate it and you didn't cause your loss. If it is to cause issues it'd be MUCH earlier on than the ~9 weeks you were. If at all, it requires MUCH MUCH MUCH higher doses than what you said you were taking.
Please, don't blame yourself (I know that's easier said than done, I'm only just forgiving myself for "failing") but it was by no means an action on your part. You are perfect and you did everything you could. xxxxxxooooooo :kiss:


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## ShellieLabTek

corgankidd said:


> ShellieLabTek said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> JLK439 said:
> 
> 
> The only time it is possible for Vitamin C to cause a miscarriage is when you take it in excess amounts such as more than 1000mg a day.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sar89 said:
> 
> 
> vitamin c is known be used in high enough doses to bring on miscarraige but its in the 2000mg region.Click to expand...
> 
> omg I was taking 2000 a day when I was pregnant. I cant believe it, I thought it was safe, everything I read said vit c was good for mom and babe! I killed my baby???????? :cry::cry::cry::cry::cry: I never read anywhere that too much was bad because it's water soluble and your body is supposed to get rid of whatever you don't need. I was taking a lot because my DB get's pneumonia very easily - last week was his 28th time getting pneumonia. I was taking it so I don't get sick and get him sick. I hate myself soo much right now :cry:Click to expand...
> 
> Oh sweety, please don't blame yourself for your miscarriage! The odds are it just wasn't a viable pregnancy and your vitamins had nothing to do with it. I'm so sorry for your loss and I hope you get another sticky bun in the oven soon! :hugs:
> :Click to expand...

I hope your right. I would really hate it if I caused it. From now on though I'm going to stick with the vitamin C in my prenatal vitamins only just to be safe.


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## Becci.Boo

MustangTali said:


> You can not OD on vit C. Its a water souluable vitamin and any unused vitimin will be excreted in youre urine.

This is true.
It is impossible to get hypervitaminosis C, the most you will get is diarrhoea. 
I had to ask my mum, who has studied nutrition at length as I have been craving anything fresh orange related. :)


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## couturecuts

My hubby came to that conclusion. I was totally overdoing the vitamin c and vitamin c rich foods prior to and the first few weeks of my last pregnancy. i miscarried, blighted ovum. this pregnancy i DIDNT HAVE ANY. i even cut back my prenatals up until week 8 then i started taking them as normal. Think about it. Vitamin c increases your immune system, you dont want a strong immune system when your trying to conceive, your body will fight off the sperm, not to mention if you change the ph level of your "hoohaa" it can kill off the sperm. anyways, strong immune system=fight off growing embryo. there may not be a whole lot of scientific studies surrounding this, but it does make sense doesnt it?
thats why some women say its good to get sick with a cold during the first trimester, it means your immune system is weakened and busy fighting off that rather than baby.
ive had a cold TWICE this pregnancy, once at 5 weeks, and then last week (9wks) now im better, we saw baby a few days ago healthy, arm moving, im so glad i cut back on vitamin c and im even happier (oddly enough) that i had two colds.


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## ad_astra

Ugh, I've been eating about 5 fruits a day and taking a prenatal vitamin!


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