PCOS Explained7 Maj 2025

The Truth About Vitamin A in Pregnancy – with Lily Nichols

Today, we are revisiting an important conversation with Lily Nichols, registered dietitian and author of Real Food for Pregnancy, to unpack the confusion and controversy around vitamin A in pregnancy.

In this episode, Lily breaks down what vitamin A actually does in the body—why it’s essential for fetal development, immune function, hormone production, and even organ formation in a growing baby.

A big takeaway? The fear around vitamin A largely stems from outdated studies using high-dose synthetic versions—not food-based sources like liver. While fewer than 20 cases of vitamin A-related birth defects have been reported in the last 30 years, over 700,000 babies have been born with a serious birth defect tied to vitamin A deficiency in just the past two decades.

We also cover the difference between preformed vitamin A (retinol) and beta-carotene, why many people (especially vegetarians and vegans) struggle to convert plant-based vitamin A into a usable form, and how you can meet your needs even if you don’t love liver.

If you’ve been told to avoid liver or skip prenatals with vitamin A, this episode will challenge that advice—and help you feel confident in making more informed choices during pregnancy.

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Avsnitt(74)

What is a normal period? With Dr. Lara Briden

Today, we are revisiting another conversation with Dr. Lara Briden. In this episode, Lara joins us to break down what a normal period actually looks like—because let’s be honest, most of us were never...

21 Maj 202534min

Treating the root cause of infertility

On this episode of the PCOS Explained, we are revisiting a conversation with Sarah, who, like so many women, faced the heartbreak of struggling to conceive. After coming off birth control, she expecte...

14 Maj 202544min

Navigating PCOS: Katherine’s Story

In this episode, we are revisiting a conversation with Katherine, who bravely shares her story of navigating PCOS from her teenage years into her forties. She opens up about the struggles she faced—la...

30 Apr 202558min

Perimenopause, Menopause & PCOS: What You Need to Know with Dr. Lara Briden

Ever heard that PCOS gets better with age? Not quite—but there’s plenty you can do to navigate the changes. In this episode, we are revisiting another conversation with the brilliant Dr. Lara Briden t...

23 Apr 202549min

Stress and Insulin with Dimity

Ever felt like you're doing everything "right" but still not seeing results with your PCOS?In today’s episode, we’re revisiting a conversation with Dimity, a psychologist who, despite doing all the th...

16 Apr 20251h 4min

Overcoming the fear of eating more

Have you ever felt terrified at the idea of eating more, even when deep down you know your body needs it? You're not alone. This fear is so common, especially if you’ve struggled with weight gain in t...

9 Apr 202551min

The Vaginal Microbiome and PCOS with Angela Heap

Today on PCOS Explained, we’re revisiting a fascinating conversation with my good friend Angela Heap, a leading fertility nutritionist, who shares groundbreaking research on how the microbial balance ...

1 Apr 202559min