MD Says Every Prenatal Multi Should Have Iodine

WASHINGTONIodine deficiency is the leading cause of preventable intellectual disability worldwide, according to new viewpoint published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (2012;308(23):2463-2464. DOI:10.1001/jama.2012.45423). If more pregnant women supplemented with iodine, the authors wrote, they could help prevent negative health implication for themselves and their children.

There is concern that even mild iodine deficiency in pregnant women could lead to children with lower IQs," said Elizabeth Pearce, M.D., MSc, associate professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, who co authored the study. Other risks of iodine deficiency include maternal and fetal goiter and increased pregnancy loss and infant mortality.

Iodine must be consumed through foods or through supplements. National and international health organizations currently recommend that pregnant women take at least 150 µg of potassium iodide daily. However, they noted many prenatal multivitamins sold do not contain iodine.

"Every prenatal vitamin in the United States should have iodine supplementation," said Alex Stagnaro-Green, M.D., MHPE, professor of medicine and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) who co-authored the study with Pearce.

Despite substantial public health advances during the past 30 years, iodine deficiency currently affects 1.92 billion people globally, they said. Iodine is necessary the production of thyroid hormones. They noted dietary iodine requirements increase during pregnancy due to increased thyroid hormone production, increased renal iodine losses, and fetal iodine requirements. Dietary requirements remain increased in lactation due to the concentration of iodine in breast milk.

Iodine levels in the United States have been decreasing, which has the potential to negatively impact the mother and unborn child," said Stagnaro-Green. Its time for all health care professionals to make sure that every pregnant and breast-feeding woman gets supplemental iodine during pregnancy and while they are breast-feeding."

An April 2012 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found women aged 20 to 39 years of age had the lowest iodine levels among any age group of women.