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Consequences of iodine deficiency and excess in pregnant women: an overview of current knowns and unknowns.

ABSTRACT: Severe iodine deficiency during development results in maternal and fetal hypothyroidism and associated serious adverse health effects, including cretinism and growth retardation. Universal salt iodization is the first-line strategy for the elimination of severe iodine deficiency. Iodine supplementation is recommended for vulnerable groups in severely iodine-deficient regions where salt iodization is infeasible or insufficient. A recent clinical trial has informed best practices for iodine supplementation of severely iodine-deficient lactating mothers. Because of successful programs of universal salt iodization in formerly severely iodine-deficient regions around the world, public health concern has shifted toward mild to moderate iodine deficiency, which remains prevalent in many regions, especially among pregnant women. Observational studies have shown associations between both mild maternal iodine deficiency and mild maternal thyroid hypofunction and decreased child cognition. Iodine supplementation has been shown to improve indexes of maternal thyroid function, even in marginally iodine-deficient areas. However, no data are yet available from randomized controlled trials in regions of mild to moderate iodine insufficiency on the relation between maternal iodine supplementation and neurobehavioral development in the offspring; thus, the long-term benefits and safety of such supplementation are uncertain. Although it is clear that excessive iodine intake can cause alterations in thyroid function in susceptible individuals, safe upper limits for iodine intake in pregnancy have not been well defined. Well-designed, prospective, randomized controlled trials that examine the effects of iodine supplementation on maternal thyroid function and infant neurobehavioral development in mildly to moderately iodine-deficient pregnant women are urgently needed. In addition, clinical data on the effects of iodine excess in pregnant and lactating women are needed to inform current recommendations for safe upper limits on chronic iodine ingestion in general and on iodine supplementation in particular.

SUBMITTER: Pearce EN

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5004501 | biostudies-other | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Consequences of iodine deficiency and excess in pregnant women: an overview of current knowns and unknowns.

Pearce Elizabeth N EN Lazarus John H JH Moreno-Reyes Rodrigo R Zimmermann Michael B MB

The American journal of clinical nutrition 20160817

Severe iodine deficiency during development results in maternal and fetal hypothyroidism and associated serious adverse health effects, including cretinism and growth retardation. Universal salt iodization is the first-line strategy for the elimination of severe iodine deficiency. Iodine supplementation is recommended for vulnerable groups in severely iodine-deficient regions where salt iodization is infeasible or insufficient. A recent clinical trial has informed best practices for iodine suppl ...[more]

PMID: 27534632

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Studies indicate that mild to moderate iodine deficiency in pregnancy may have a long-term negative impact on child neurodevelopment. These effects are likely mediated via changes in maternal thyroid function, since iodine is essential for the production of thyroid hormones. However, the impact of iodine availability on thyroid function during pregnancy and on thyroid function reference ranges are understudied. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between iodine intake and thyroid function during pregnancy. DESIGN:In a population-based pregnancy cohort including 2910 pregnant women participating in The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study, we explored cross sectional associations of maternal iodine intake measured (1) by a food frequency questionnaire and (2) as iodine concentration in a spot urine sample, with plasma thyroid hormones and antibodies. RESULTS:Biological samples were collected in mean gestational week 18.5 (standard deviation 1.3) and diet was assessed in gestational week 22. Median iodine intake from food was 121??g/day (interquartile range 90, 160), and 40% reported use of iodine-containing supplements in pregnancy. Median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was 59??g/L among those who did not use supplements and 98??g/L in the women reporting current use at the time of sampling, indicating mild to moderate iodine deficiency in both groups. Iodine intake as measured by the food frequency questionnaire was not associated with the outcome measures, while UIC was inversely associated with FT3 (p?=?0.002) and FT4 (p?<?0.001). Introduction of an iodine-containing supplement after gestational week 12 was associated with indications of lower thyroid hormone production (lower FT4, p?=?0.027, and nonsignificantly lower FT3, p?=?0.17). The 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles of TSH, FT4, and FT3 were not significantly different by groups defined by calculated iodine intake or by UIC. CONCLUSION:The results indicate that mild to moderate iodine deficiency affect thyroid function in pregnancy. However, the differences were small, suggesting that normal reference ranges can be determined based on data also from mildly iodine deficient populations, but this needs to be further studied. Introducing an iodine-containing supplement might temporarily inhibit thyroid hormone production and/or release.

Project description:BackgroundWhereas the adverse effects of severe iodine deficiency during pregnancy are well documented, the effects of mild-to-moderate deficiency are not well established.ObjectivesWe aimed to explore whether iodine nutrition and timing of iodine supplement initiation are associated with thyroid function in pregnant and postpartum women.MethodsIn this cohort study, 137 pregnant women were enrolled and followed up at gestational weeks (GWs) 18 and 36, and 3 and 6 mo postpartum. Thyroid function tests [thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), and free thyroxine (fT4)], urinary iodine and creatinine concentration (UIC:Cr), and iodine intake (including iodine supplement use) were measured at each time point. The associations between thyroid hormone concentrations and UIC:Cr, iodine intakes, and iodine supplement use were estimated using multiple generalized estimating equation models.ResultsThe median UIC at GW18 was 94 μg/L, indicating mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency. UIC:Cr (β; 95% CI) per 100 μg/g was negatively associated with fT3 (-0.191; -0.331, -0.051) and fT4 (-0.756; -1.372, -0.141) concentrations. Iodine intake (β; 95% CI) per 100 μg/d was positively associated with TSH (0.099; 0.022, 0.177), and negatively associated with fT3 (-0.084; -0.0141, -0.027) and fT4 (-0.390; -0.599, -0.182) concentrations. Compared with no use of supplement, those initiating an iodine-containing supplement prepregnancy and continuing through pregnancy had lower TSH (estimated means) (1.35 compared with 1.68 mIU/L, P = 0.021), and higher fT3 (4.48 compared with 4.28 pmol/L, P = 0.035) and fT4 (15.2 compared with 14.4 pmol/L, P = 0.024) concentrations.ConclusionsLower iodine availability during pregnancy and postpartum was associated with lower TSH, and higher fT3 and fT4 concentrations. The use of an iodine-containing supplement that was initiated prepregnancy and continuing through pregnancy was associated with lower TSH, and higher fT3 and fT4 concentrations, which may suggest improved thyroid function. These findings support the notion that optimization of iodine intake should start before pregnancy.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02610959.

Project description:Background:Historically, Iceland has been an iodine-sufficient nation due to notably high fish and milk consumption. Recent data suggest that the intake of these important dietary sources of iodine has decreased considerably. Objective:To evaluate the iodine status of pregnant women in Iceland and to determine dietary factors associated with risk for deficiency. Methods:Subjects were women (n = 983; 73% of the eligible sample) attending their first ultrasound appointment in gestational weeks 11-14 in the period October 2017-March 2018. Spot urine samples were collected for assessment of urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and creatinine. The ratio of iodine to creatinine (I/Cr) was calculated. Median UIC was compared with the optimal range of 150-249 ?g/L defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Diet was assessed using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), which provided information on main dietary sources of iodine in the population studied (dairy and fish). Results:The median UIC (95% confidence interval (CI)) and I/Cr of the study population was 89 ?g/L (42, 141) and 100 (94, 108) ?g/g, respectively. UIC increased with higher frequency of dairy intake, ranging from median UIC of 55 (35, 79) ?g/L for women consuming dairy products <1 time per week to 124 (98, 151) ?g/L in the group consuming dairy >2 times per day (P for trend <0.001). A small group of women reporting complete avoidance of fish (n = 18) had UIC of 50 (21, 123) ?g/L and significantly lower I/Cr compared with those who did not report avoidance of fish (58 (34, 134) ?g/g vs. 100 (94, 108) ?g/g, P = 0.041). Women taking supplements containing iodine (n = 34, 3.5%) had significantly higher UIC compared with those who did not take supplements (141 (77, 263) ?g/L vs. 87 (82, 94), P = 0.037). Conclusion:For the first time, insufficient iodine status is being observed in an Icelandic population. There is an urgent need for a public health action aiming at improving iodine status of women of childbearing age in Iceland.

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Consequences of iodine deficiency and excess in pregnant women: an overview of current knowns and unknowns.

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Consequences of iodine deficiency and excess in pregnant women: an overview of current knowns and unknowns.

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