Abstract
Mild iodine deficiency during pregnancy can have significant effects on fetal development and future cognitive function. The purpose of this study was to characterise the iodine status of South Australian women during pregnancy and relate it to the use of iodine-containing multivitamins. The impact of fortification of bread with iodized salt was also assessed. Women (n = 196) were recruited prospectively at the beginning of pregnancy and urine collected at 12, 18, 30, 36 weeks gestation and 6 months postpartum. The use of a multivitamin supplement was recorded at each visit. Spot urinary iodine concentrations (UIC) were assessed. Median UICs were within the mildly deficient range in women not taking supplements (<90 μg/L). Among the women taking iodine-containing multivitamins UICs were within WHO recommendations (150–249 μg/L) for sufficiency and showed an increasing trend through gestation. The fortification of bread with iodized salt increased the median UIC from 68 μg/L to 84 μg/L (p = .011) which was still in the deficient range. Pregnant women in this region of Australia were unlikely to reach recommended iodine levels without an iodine supplement, even after the mandatory iodine supplementation of bread was instituted in October 2009.
Highlights
Iodine deficiency affects nearly 2 billion people globally and is preventable with the use of iodized salt in the diet [1]
Women who used iodine-containing multivitamins were significantly taller compared to the women who did not used iodine-containing multivitamins, or who used no supplements during pregnancy (p = 0.04)
As urinary iodine concentrations (UIC) did not differ between women consuming dietary supplements with no iodine and women who consumed no supplements during pregnancy, these women were grouped together for the purpose of analysis
Summary
Iodine deficiency affects nearly 2 billion people globally and is preventable with the use of iodized salt in the diet [1]. Iodine deficiency during pregnancy is associated with increased rates of stillbirths, spontaneous abortions, and congenital anomalies [2] and is the leading worldwide preventable cause of intellectual impairment in children [3]. A global survey of iodine sufficiency in 2011 identified that there was some improvement worldwide in iodine sufficiency, 29.8% of school aged children still had insufficient iodine intake [4]. There has been a significant improvement in the iodine status of Tasmanian schoolchildren from mildly iodine-deficient to borderline iodine-sufficient [14]. The iodine status of pregnant Tasmanian women showed a non-significant improvement rising from 76 to 81–86 μg/L, still in the mildly deficient range [15]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
