Objective To explore the marginal vitamin A deficiency (MVAD) in pregnancy on the expressions of retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα), sarcoma gene Src, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 1 (NMDAR1) in the hippocampus of newborn rats. Methods The pregnant rat models of vitamin A normal (VAN group) and marginal vitamin A deficiency (MVAD group) were established. The hippocampus tissue of newborn rats was isolated. The primary hippocampus neurons were cultured in vitro and detected by the immunofluorescence staining. The mRNA and protein expressions of RARα, Src, and NMDAR1 in hippocampus tissue and primary hippocampus neurons of newborn rats were detected by the real-time PCR and Western blotting. The calcium excitability of primary hippocampus neurons was detected by the calcium imaging instrument. Results The results of immunofluorescence staining showed that 95% of primary hippocampus neurons of newborn rats that were isolated and cultured in vitro expressed the neuron maker of neuron-specific enolase (NSE). The mRNA and protein expressions of RARα, Src, and NMDAR1 in hippocampus tissue and primary hippocampus neurons of newborn rats of the MVAD group were significantly lower than those of the VAN group (P<0.05). The calcium excitability of hippocampus neurons of newborn rats of the MVAD group was significantly lower than that of the VAN group (P<0.05). Conclusion MVAD in pregnancy can decrease expressions of RARα, Src, and NMDAR1 in the hippocampus. This may be relevant to the impaired learning and memory functions of newborn rats caused by MVAD in pregnancy.