Iodine supplementation during pregnancy: a public health challenge

摘要: Iodine deficiency remains the most frequent cause worldwide, after starvation, of preventable mental retardation in children. It causes maternal hypothyroxinemia, which affects pregnant women even apparently iodine-sufficient areas, and often goes unnoticed because L-thyroxine (T 4 ) levels remain within normal range, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is not increased. Even a mild hypothyroxinemia during pregnancy increases risk neurodevelopmental abnormalities, experimental data clearly demonstrate that it damages cortical cytoarchitecture fetal brain. The American Thyroid Association (ATA) recommends supplement 150μg iodine/day lactation, addition to use iodized salt. We discuss importance iodine supplementation ensure adequate T all who are considering conception throughout lactation.