The results are thus compatible with the international recommendation that lactating women and infants younger than two years of age who reside in iodine-sufficient countries do not require iodine supplementation
BACKGROUND Iodine , an essential micronutrient , plays a critical role in normal growth and development , especially during the first two years of life .
This systematic review and meta- analysis is among the first to evaluate breast-milk iodine concentrations and infant iodine status in countries characterized by iodine sufficiency or deficiency .
Amelioration of some pregnancy-associated variations in thyroid function by iodine supplementation.
Knowledge of the effect of differences in iodine intake levels on public health in areas with no endemic goiter is limited . Groups at risk when iodine intake is relatively low are pregnant and lactating women and their newborns . A prospect i ve r and omized study was performed to evaluate the effect of iodine supplementation in an area where the median daily iodine excretion in urine is around 50 micrograms . Fifty-four normal pregnant women were r and omized to be controls or to receive 200 micrograms iodine/day from weeks 17 - 18 of pregnancy until 12 months after delivery . In the control group , serum TSH , serum thyroglobulin ( Tg ) , and thyroid size showed significant increases during pregnancy . These variations were ameliorated by iodine supplementation . Iodine did not induce significant variations in serum T4 , T3 , or free T4 . Cord blood Tg was much lower when the mother had received iodine , whereas TSH , T4 , T3 , and free T4 levels were unaltered . The results suggest that a relatively low iodine intake during pregnancy leads to thyroidal stress , with increases in Tg release and thyroid size . However , the thyroid gl and is able to adapt and keep thyroid hormones in the mother and the child normal , at least under normal circumstances , as evaluated in the present study . It is not known whether this stress is sufficient to be of importance for late development of autonomous thyroid growth and function
The results are thus compatible with the international recommendation that lactating women and infants younger than two years of age who reside in iodine-sufficient countries do not require iodine supplementation
BACKGROUND Iodine , an essential micronutrient , plays a critical role in normal growth and development , especially during the first two years of life .
This systematic review and meta- analysis is among the first to evaluate breast-milk iodine concentrations and infant iodine status in countries characterized by iodine sufficiency or deficiency .