Abstract
Based on new evidence and lessons learned within the last decade, pregnant women may not receive adequate iodized salt where the coverage of universal salt iodisation is poor. World Health Organisation has stated this could jeopardize optimal brain development of the fetus. This study was aimed to assess the iodine status of pregnant women in Sri Lanka. A cross-sectional clinic based nationally representative study was conducted. Three randomly selected antenatal clinics from each province, 30 randomly selected pregnant women from each selected clinic were included in the study. A total of 739 pregnant women were studied and casual urine samples collected to estimate iodine levels. Median urinary iodine levels in pregnant women was 113.7 g/L, which is far below the WHO recommendation between 150 and 249 μg/L indicating inadequate iodine status of pregnant women in Sri Lanka. Urine iodine distribution indicated 61.3%, 21.7%, 15.2% and 1.8% of pregnant women had an inadequate, adequate, above requirement and excessive intake respectively. Urinary iodine concentration significantly decreased with advancing pregnancy. Inadequate iodine intake was evident in 47.4%, 60.2% and 68.8% of pregnant women in the first, second and third trimester respectively. In conclusion, there is an urgent need to identify a programme to provide adequate iodine to pregnant women to ensure optimum fetal brain development. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sjdem.v3i1.5469 Sri Lanka Journal of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism 2013; 3 : 4-7
Highlights
Iodine is an essential trace element that is an integral component required for the prevention of brain damage and mental retardation
Iodine deficiency disorders was identified as a major public health problem and the Universal Salt Iodisation (USI) programme was launched in Sri Lanka in 1995 in collaboration with UNICEF (2)
61.4% of pregnant women had inadequate iodine level (
Summary
Iodine is an essential trace element that is an integral component required for the prevention of brain damage and mental retardation. Iodine deficiency is one of the world's most preventable diseases, that is both easy and inexpensive to avert (1). Iodine deficiency disorders was identified as a major public health problem and the Universal Salt Iodisation (USI) programme was launched in Sri Lanka in 1995 in collaboration with UNICEF (2). Maternal iodine deficiency is associated with a number of adverse effects on the infant brain resulting in a continuum of effects depending on the degree of iodine deficiency, from lowered IQ to severe mental retardation. The thyroid gland uses iodine to make thyroid hormones, which in turn directs brain development. Iodine deficiency in pregnant women has been estimated to result in the loss of some 10-15 IQ points at the global population level (3)
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