Is liver safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about liver during pregnancy?

1. Liver sits at the top of the list for foods packed with preformed vitamin A, the type that's linked to birth defects in high amounts. 1
2. A typical 3-ounce serving of pan-fried beef liver contains about 6,582 mcg RAE of vitamin A, more than double the entire day's pregnancy safety ceiling of 3,000 mcg RAE in one helping. 2
3. In one study, a single liver meal supplying around 120,000 IU of vitamin A made certain vitamin A byproducts in the blood spike three to five times higher within hours. 3
4. A Dutch study found pregnant women who rarely ate liver stayed comfortably under the vitamin A ceiling even while taking a regular prenatal vitamin, while frequent liver eaters risked going over that ceiling no matter what supplement they took. 4
5. Too much preformed vitamin A, the kind liver is loaded with, has been linked to birth defects affecting a baby's eyes, skull, lungs, and heart. 5

Is liver safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. The first trimester, especially before seven weeks, is the most sensitive window for vitamin A birth defects, so this is the easiest time to skip liver, pate, and liverwurst altogether. Nausea often makes rich, iron-heavy foods unappealing anyway, so most people don't miss it.
• Second trimester. As appetite picks back up, liver dishes may sound appealing again, and an occasional small serving is unlikely to cause harm. Keep it occasional rather than weekly, and skip a separate vitamin A supplement on top of your prenatal.
• Third trimester. Iron needs go up in the third trimester, which is when some people start eyeing liver again as a natural iron source. A small occasional serving is fine for most people, but ask your healthcare provider about iron-rich alternatives if you're craving it often.