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When Caryn was five months pregnant she was told by her doctor she had an iodine deficiency. Initially she wasn’t unduly worried. She had worked hard to stay fit and healthy during her pregnancy and was taking some supplements. How could it be serious? Tests had shown her to be mildly to moderately iodine deficient, and she was not alone. Most recently, there has been a re-emergence of iodine deficiency in Australia and New Zealand, with around 50% of the population considered to have inadequate iodine intakes. Why is this deficiency such a huge cause for concern? And how can it be treated?

During pregnancy, thyroid hormone requirements are increased by about 50% over pre-pregnancy levels. A lack of iodine during pregnancy can have a significant impact on the brain development of babies both in-utero and after birth. In addition, young children can experience developmental, learning and hearing problems if there is an iodine deficiency. If the deficiency is severe the child may develop a condition called iodine-deficiency disorder (IDD). IDD is a major contributing cause for preventable mental retardation and brain damage in children. Once the damage is done, it is irreversible.

Iodine is used by the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormone – one of the important hormones that drives our metabolism. With insufficient iodine, the mother (or the infant) can’t make enough thyroid hormone to supply the needs of the growing and developing brain. If hypothyroidism, where the thyroid gland is not working effectively, develops early in pregnancy, there is significant risk of miscarriage, premature labour and neurological damage to the fetus.

Given that many pregnant women in Australia and New Zealand have an iodine deficiency, women need to be very pro-active in ensuring they are getting enough iodine.

The World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD) recommend a slightly higher iodine intake for pregnant women of 250 mcg per day, (versus women at 150 mcg per day). *

So how can women prevent this iodine deficiency. Firstly you cannot do it by diet alone. You would need to eat large quantities of food in order to do so. You need an extra 100 – 200 ug of iodine a day during pregnancy. The Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) have implemented the mandatory use of iodised salt in bread in an effort to help increase levels of iodine in food, but this fortification is insufficient.

You can:

  • Drink between half to one litre of milk a day.
  • Use iodised salt. This is not the same as sea salt. You need to check it is the correct one as sea salt is an insufficient source of iodine.
  • Eat food rich in iodine. Seafood and seaweed (such as kelp and nori), eggs, cheese and dairy products are rich sources of iodine.
  • Take a daily iodine-only tablet throughout your pregnancy. One 0.150 milligram (mg)/150 microgram (mcg) tablet will meet your needs. Even if you are considering a pregnancy or are breastfeeding, experts recommend a daily iodine supplement.

* Source: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-HealthPro...