OBJECTIVE: To determine iodine intake and urinary iodine excretion (UIE) in a group of pregnant Thai women and the concentration of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in their neonates. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. SETTING: Three districts of Songkhla, southern Thailand. SUBJECTS: Two hundred and thirty-six pregnant women. RESULTS: A quarter of the participants lacked knowledge of iodine and the prevention of iodine deficiency, although 70 % used iodized salt. Those who did not use iodized salt stated that they had no knowledge about iodine (57 %) and no iodized salt was sold in their village (36 %). The median iodine intake in the three districts was 205-240 microg/d, with 53-74 % of pregnant women having iodine intake <250 microg/d. The median UIE in the three districts was 51-106 microg/l, with 24-35 % having UIE < 50 microg/l. The mean neonatal TSH was 2.40 (sd 1.56) mU/l, with 8.9 % of neonates having TSH > 5 mU/l. CONCLUSIONS: The studied women and their fetuses were at risk of mild iodine deficiency. About a quarter of the participants lacked knowledge of the importance of iodine. Education regarding the importance of iodine supplements and the promotion of iodized salt should be added to national health-care policies in order to prevent iodine-deficiency disorders, diseases that are subclinical but have long-term sequelae.
OBJECTIVE: To determine iodine intake and urinary iodine excretion (UIE) in a group of pregnant Thai women and the concentration of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in their neonates. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. SETTING: Three districts of Songkhla, southern Thailand. SUBJECTS: Two hundred and thirty-six pregnant women. RESULTS: A quarter of the participants lacked knowledge of iodine and the prevention of iodine deficiency, although 70 % used iodized salt. Those who did not use iodized salt stated that they had no knowledge about iodine (57 %) and no iodized salt was sold in their village (36 %). The median iodine intake in the three districts was 205-240 microg/d, with 53-74 % of pregnant women having iodine intake <250 microg/d. The median UIE in the three districts was 51-106 microg/l, with 24-35 % having UIE < 50 microg/l. The mean neonatal TSH was 2.40 (sd 1.56) mU/l, with 8.9 % of neonates having TSH > 5 mU/l. CONCLUSIONS: The studied women and their fetuses were at risk of mild iodine deficiency. About a quarter of the participants lacked knowledge of the importance of iodine. Education regarding the importance of iodine supplements and the promotion of iodized salt should be added to national health-care policies in order to prevent iodine-deficiency disorders, diseases that are subclinical but have long-term sequelae.
Authors: D Sukkhojaiwaratkul; P Mahachoklertwattana; P Poomthavorn; P Panburana; La-or Chailurkit; P Khlairit; S Pongratanakul Journal: J Perinatol Date: 2014-04-17 Impact factor: 2.521