Risk factors for disorders due to iodine deficiency (IDD) among pregnant women in Jepara, Indonesia

Abstract

Pregnant women need an increase in iodine intake. In 2013, 24.3% of pregnant women in Indonesia had low iodine excretion values. Iodine is known to affect thyroid hormone regulation. This study aimed to analyze the risk factors of Iodine Deficiency Disease (IDD) in pregnant women. This study was conducted using an observational method with a case-control design. The subjects in this study were pregnant women in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters in the Mlonggo and Pakis Aji Health Centers, Jepara Regency, Indonesia. The total sample was eighty-eight pregnant women. Primary data collection was done by taking urine for Urinary Iodine Excretion (UIE) and blood serum for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels, Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) measurements for anthropometric nutritional status and filling out questionnaires related to subject characteristics and Semi Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (SQ-FFQ) interviews related to food consumption. This study showed that 53.4% of pregnant women had high TSH levels and 68.2% of pregnant women had low UIE levels. The results of the multivariate analysis showed that education was the strongest risk factor of IDD based on TSH levels (p-value 0,020; OR adjusted 0,324; CI OR 0,125:0,835) and knowledge of IDD was the strongest risk factor of IDD based on UIE levels (p-value 0,008; OR adjusted 4,776; CI OR 1,510:15,105).