For further information see the website
www.tiroide.com
IMPORTANCE OF IODINE
IN PREGNANCY AND CHILDREN
Iodine is an essential micronutrient for the thyroid to function correctly and, more
in general, for the health
of human beings. It is
fundamental to have
an adequate intake of
iodine in the diet to assure the normal development of the organism.
DEFICIENCY OF
IODINE: A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM
But in many countries throughout the world, the
quantity of iodine found in the soil, in water and
in food is so low that its daily minimum
requirements, no matter how reduced,
fail to be satisfied.
IMPORTANCE
OF IODINE IN
PREGNANCY
For you, future mother, it is particularly
important to take the right daily quantity
of iodine while you are expecting to ensure
your baby a correct neural development. As
the foetus is still not able to produce its own
thyroidal hormones, your thyroid is in fact put
to an ‘extra workload’, particularly during
the first three months of pregnancy and requires 50% more than the normal amount of
iodine intake.
POSSIBLE RISKS FROM DEFICIENCY
Numerous medical studies have demonstrated the importance of iodine for the child to
grow correctly and all concur in stressing that:
• a substantial increase in learning disability during the school age is recorded in children with
mothers originating from geographical areas deficient, even slightly, in iodine;
• whilst some extremely important problems could be caused in the case of serious deficiency
in iodine, such as an increased risk of abortion, foetal and perinatal mortality. What is more
cases of goitre and maternal-foetal hypothyroidism could arise; even mental retardation,
deaf mutism, spasticity and dwarfism in the child.
IMPORTANCE OF A CORRECT
IODINE PROPHYLAXIS
Supplementary potassium iodide is therefore fundamental from
the beginning of pregnancy and throughout breast-feeding.
How can you be sure of an
adequate intake of iodine for
yourself and your baby?
It is essential to use salt fortified with iodine, which must be eaten
“raw” that is as a condiment for cold dishes in order to maintain all
its properties.
Also during breast-feeding it is important for you mother to continue to
take a greater quantity of iodine. But if you have to resort to artificial milk,
there are special formulae able to guarantee your baby the required intake of iodine.
Whilst during the weaning period, apart from continuing to drink milk, it will also be fundamental to regularly prepare food rich in iodine, such as fish.
And lastly, after the first year of age, the right iodine intake can be assured by using small
quantities of iodized salt as a condiment for the food.
Finally, should a correct diet enriched with iodized salt not be anyhow sufficient to compensate the deficiency of iodine typical of the place where you live, then specific iodine
based dietary supplements should be used to assure the required iodine intake for you
and your baby.