Can Vitamin C Prevent Pregnancy – Everything you Need to Know

4 min read

Written by Sindhuja Prabhu

Sindhuja Prabhu

Can Vitamin C prevent pregnancy

Unprotected sex and accidents during protected sex can lead to pregnancy. With anti-abortion laws and other constant changes to the existing abortion laws coming into force, many women are desperately trying various methods to end pregnancies. Now, can you prevent such pregnancies with vitamin C? Can vitamin C prevent pregnancy?

Many women may not care much for the side effects of alternative methods such as using home remedies to prevent getting pregnant. The reason is simple – they can go to the hospital and get the right treatment for consuming too much vitamin C but may not be able to terminate the pregnancy. But is using vitamin C really an effective home remedy?

In This Article

Can Vitamin C Prevent Pregnancy?

There is a common belief that taking too much vitamin C can prevent a pregnancy or abort an existing pregnancy. In 1960, a comparative study published by PubMed claimed that Vitamin C levels were significantly higher in women who underwent abortion, in comparison to women who lost their pregnancies. This led the researchers to believe that a high level of Vitamin C in your blood can lead to spontaneous abortion.

There is not enough scientific evidence, though, to support this conclusion. There were no studies to see the impact of an increase in Vitamin C consumption on pregnancies. Since women either want to keep the baby or abort it, it is a difficult group to conduct such research on.

Progesterone is an important hormone for a successful pregnancy. Many believe Vitamin C interferes with the production of this hormone, thus preventing pregnancy.

Some other research studies show evidence that increasing your consumption of vitamin C does not have any impact on pregnancy.

How To Use Vitamin C To Prevent Pregnancy?

Woman taking vitamin c

Since there is no scientific evidence to support this claim, there is no tried and tested or safe way to do this. No one can predict how an increase in Vitamin C consumption can affect a pregnancy.

On a general note, adults should not consume more than 2,000mg of Vitamin C in a day – this includes food sources and supplements. No one can guarantee that consuming more than 2,000mg can lead to a spontaneous abortion or a miscarriage.

If you want to abort your pregnancy, the best way to do so is in a hospital with a reputable doctor. Opting for doctors with outdated facilities, who offer abortions in secret may not be a safe choice either.

Are There Any Side Effects of Vitamin C Overdose During Pregnancy?

Woman suffering Vitamin C overdose

While consuming vitamin C can facilitate a better absorption of iron, and also promote growth and development in the fetus. Too much Vitamin C is not good for your health – pregnant or otherwise. According to a research study published in the journal Scientific Research, high levels of Vitamin C played a role in imminent abortion in pregnant women.

Consuming too much Vitamin C, especially in the form of supplements can cause the following side effects

  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Kidney stones
  • Gastritis

Rare side effects include

  • Fatigue
  • Fainting
  • Dizziness 
  • Flushing

Pregnancy is a sensitive period and women need to be very cautious to avoid foods that can trigger various issues including indigestion. Excess vomiting or diarrhea during pregnancy can be unsafe for the baby and also lead to severe dehydration in the woman.

What Are The Other Options For Abortion?

Abortion options

We understand not everyone feels excited about a pregnancy. Some may not want to proceed with the pregnancy. When you want to abort your pregnancy, you have multiple safe, tried, and tested options such as:

  • Abortion Pills
  • Medication
  • Aspiration
  • D&C
  • Induced labor (in case of advanced pregnancy)

If you are looking for home remedies, you can try the ones listed below. However, scientifically, there is no guarantee that they will work. They may even result in unwanted consequences. If you are very particular about an abortion, the safest option is to visit a doctor.

It is believed that some fruits can induce heat in the body and prevent conception and implantation. Elders in the family always advise pregnant women to avoid these fruits, to avoid a miscarriage.

  • Papaya
  • Pineapple
  • Apricot
  • Juniper berries
  • Dried figs

If you want your period to start, consuming these ingredients may help.

  • Ginger
  • Asafetida
  • Cinnamon (you need to consume this regularly until your period starts)
  • Parsley
  • Neem

Most of these fruits and ingredients form a part of the regular Indian diet. While consuming them in moderation can benefit your health, overconsumption is believed to lead to an abortion. But there is no scientific data to back these claims.

Pregnancy is a personal choice. Implementation of laws preventing abortion may lead some women to look for other options to terminate their pregnancy. While Vitamin C is good for your health, too much of anything can cause harm. Though many believe increasing their consumption of Vitamin C can prevent pregnancy, there is no proof that it is indeed effective or safe.

FAQ’s

1. How Long Does it Take Vitamin C to Work as a Form of Contraception?

It is a common belief that regular consumption of Vitamin C, especially for 3 or 4 days after having sex, can prevent pregnancy. Regular consumption of vitamin C may prevent implantation. However, there is not enough scientific data to prove that this works or evidence on how much time it takes to work.

2. How Does Vitamin C Prevent Pregnancy?

There is no scientific evidence to prove that vitamin C prevents pregnancy. However, many people believe that excess Vitamin C in the body will prevent conception and implantation of the egg, thus preventing pregnancy. 

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Sindhuja Prabhu,M.Sc (Psychology),PGDBM

Sindhuja, a mother of two, is an obsessive mom with a keen interest in psychology, especially child psychology. Her quest for knowledge and way with words led her to become a passionate content writer. She transformed her love for writing into a full-fledged career which incidentally also turned up being the perfect stress buster for the last 5 years.Read more.

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