Beta carotene is a precursor of vitamin a, as such, your body converts beta carotene into vitamin a vitamin a plays a major role in the maintenance of normal healthy skin, vision, immune system and mucous membranes just like vitamin a, in addition to providing sustenance and its nutritive value, beta carotene can be helpful in protecting the skin against uv radiation from sunlight unlike vitamin a, the body does not absorb and store beta carotene as efficiently as vitamin a as the conversion rate to vitamin a is related to the body'S needs, (The higher the need, the higher the conversion rate) beta carotene does not raise the same toxicity concerns as taking large amounts of vitamin a and therefore is more suitable for pregnant women