Using an Alternative Method to Estimate the Status of Iodine Nutrition in Pregnant Women

Iodine is an element that is essential for the synthesis of thyroid hormones.Adequate intake of dietary iodine has been recognized as a critical factor for maintaining health.It is a well-known fact that iodine deficiency can impede the production of thyroid hormones in both the mother and fetus,which increases the risk of brain damage in the fetal stage.

Salt Consumption Patterns and Iodine Nutrition Status of Pregnant Women in Coastal Region

Background: Maternal Iodine Deficiency Disorder can result in inevitable cretinism as well as miscarriages, stillbirth and low birth-weight babies. Objective: There is a need to find out contributing factors towards urinary iodine concentrations of pregnant women. Methods: Therefore, the cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted to assess the patterns of salt utilization and iodine status of pregnant women living in coastal areas of Mon State in January and May, 2013. Result: A total of 144 pregnant women from Pa-Nga village and Kalokepi village in Thanbyuzayat township were asked by using structured questionnaires including age, parity, socioeconomic status and patterns of salt and iodine-rich foods (seaweed, fish, prawn) consumption. Casual urine samples were collected from each pregnant woman and urinary iodine concentrations were measured. Three samples each of the iodized salt and non-iodized salt from local markets were collected for determination of iodine content by the iodometric titration method. Only 83.3% of the study population consumed iodized salt and the remaining (16.7%) consumed non-iodized salt. The median urinary iodine concentration of the study population was 105 μg/L. The mean urinary iodine level of pregnant women who consumed iodized salt and that of pregnant women who consumed non-iodizes salt were 110.47 ± 67.34 μg/L and 95.83 ± 70.13 μg/L (P = 0.336). Iodine content of the iodized salt and non-iodized salt was 20.6 ± 9.2 ppm and 5.1 ± 1.2 ppm respectively. In conclusion, the median iodine level of pregnant women was lower than that of the optimal iodine nutrition for pregnant women, i.e., 150 - 250 μg/L and the mean iodine content of salt samples was lower than the permissible level of iodine in iodized salt, i.e., 30 - 40 ppm. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that iodine nutritional status of pregnant women in this area is insufficient and salt iodization needs to be monitored for the optimal iodine content in iodized salt.

Study on the relationship of iodine nutritional status with thyroid function and autoantibodies in pregnant women in Baotou

Objective:To investigate the relationship of iodine nutritional status with thyroid function in pregnant women in Baotou,and provide a scientific basis for the guide of reasonable iodine supplementation.Methods:By use of As-Ce catalysis spectrophotometry,the urinary iodine concentration was determined in 90 women during different periods of pregnancy admitted to Baogang Hospital of Inner Mongolia from January 2017 to December 2017.The determination of thyroid function and the autoantibody level was carried out by electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay(ECLIA).Results:In the early trimester of pregnancy,pregnant women with iodine deficiency,iodine sufficiency and iodine excess accounted for 36.67%,40.00%and 23.33%respectively;in the middle trimester of pregnancy,they accounted for 66.67%,26.67%and 6.66%respectively;they made up 40.00%,40.00%and 20.00%respectively in the late trimester of pregnancy.The rate of iodine deficiency in women in the middle trimester of pregnancy was significantly higher than that in women in the early and the late trimesters of pregnancy respectively,and the difference was statistically significant(p<0.05).The rate of iodine deficiency in pregnant women was positively correlated to the positivity of thyroid peroxidase antibody.Moreover,it had no relationship with the positivity of thyroglobulin antibody.No matter in the pregnant women with iodine deficiency or with iodine excess,the abnormality rate of thyroid function and autoantibodies was significantly higher than that in the pregnant women with iodine sufficiency.The difference was statistically significant(p<0.05).Conclusions:The iodine deficiency in the women in the middle trimester of pregnancy is more severe than that in the women in the early and the late trimesters of pregnancy.Iodine deficiency during pregnancy is positively correlated with the positivity of thyroid peroxidase antibody.Pregnant women with iodine deficiency and iodine excess show a higher abnormality rate of thyroid function and autoantibodies.It is recommended to advocate health education on iodine nutrition to pregnant women,and conduct the dynamic monitoring of urinary iodine concentration and the screening of thyroid function and autoantibodies during pregnancy.

Effects of Malnutrition on Economic Productivity in China As Estimated by PROFILES

Objective To calculate the effects of malnutrition on economic productivity in China. Methods PROFILES was used to quantify the function consequences of malnutrition in term of protein energy malnutrition, iron deficiency and iodine deficiency. Results Productivity gained due to improved iodine nutrition. The reduction in the TGR in 1992 to 2001 increased the net present value of further economic productivity by $142 billion. Reduction of the TGR rate to 5% over next 10 years would result in future productivity gains with value of $40 billion. Productivity gain due to reductions in child stunting would result in future economic productivity gains with the value of $101 billion. Reducing stunting further over the next 10 years would gain $20 billion. Productivity gain due to reduction of iron deficiency anemia reduced by 30% over the next 10 years would gain worth $107 billion and if childhood anemia reduced by 30% over next 10 years would gain $348 billion. Conclusion These interventions have huge economic payoff. That is likely to exceed their costs many times over.

Assessment of iodine nutritional status of people in Qinghai Province after the content of salt iodine decreased

Objective To understand the iodine nutritional status of people in Qinghai Province after implementation of new standard of salt iodine,and provide the basis for prevention and control of iodine deficiency disorders.Methods The monitoring data of 2011 and 2014