Expert: Shan Yi Sheng - 8/10/2010

Question
I have five beautiful children, including two year old twins.  I recently became pregnant very unexpectedly.  I panicked and made the rash decision to try to terminate the pregnancy.  At 4 weeks and 3 days (after last menstrual period) and after doing some internet research I began taking large doses of vitamin c, which supposedly interferes with progesterone and negatively affects the uterine lining, similar to the ru486 pill.  After one and a half days of this (I ingested approximately 20 grams of vitamin c), I had a huge change of heart and decided I want to keep my baby.  At my six weeks ultrasound a strong heartbeat was seen and I also learned that the pregnancy had started out as twins, but only one baby made it.  This makes me think that the vitamin c possibly killed one baby, but not the other.  Of course now I'm very worried about the surviving baby being born with birth defects, as I know that at 4.5 weeks the spinal cord is being formed.  I would like to know your professional opinion on this.  Thank you so much.

Answer
Dear Rhonda,
I have no knowledge about negative Vitamin C influence on pregnancies. From Vitamin C intake, no more than 75 mg will be adsorbed.
More than 75 mg vitamin C intake will leave the body unchanged and has no influence at all. Just make the urine sour - which by the way, helps in case of urinary tract infection -
So no worry !
bests and good luck,
Dr Shan