You may be reluctant to take too many supplements during pregnancy, but an extra dose of iodine may be essential for your wellness, and the wellbeing of your unborn child. This is according to researchers from the University of Adelaide, who have found that the iodised salt used in bread is not enough to supply both a pregnant woman and her unborn child with the proper iodine levels to stay healthy.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), iodine deficiency is one of the most common preventable causes of brain damage worldwide. ‘Iodine is an essential element which is important for human brain development and thyroid functions,’ said study lead author, Vicki Clifton, associate professor from the University of Adelaide at Robinson Institute and the Lyell McEwin Hospital. ‘Despite the inclusion of iodised salt in bread, women who were not taking an iodine supplement during pregnancy were still suffering from iodine deficiency. Those women who were taking a supplement in addition to eating bread with iodised salt were receiving health levels of iodine, well within WHO guidelines.’
For the study, the researchers tested the iodine levels of 200 South Australian women throughout their pregnancies, and then six months post-birth in order to track deficiency peaks and dips. The importance of iodine cannot be understated. The essential component of thyroid hormones plays a major role on your baby’s brain development, and is a basic requirement for your baby’s and your body to function with healthy cellular and metabolic functioning. If you have low levels of iodine, this can contribute to underactive and overactive thyroids. Bromide’s iodine blocking capabilities means that the deficiency is linked to many thyroid disorders.
One of the lead authors, Basil Hetzel, a professor emeritus at University of Adelaide who began researching iodine deficiency more than 50 years ago at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, noted, ‘There’s a lot of work going on around the world to ensure that pregnant women are receiving enough iodine for the health development of their unborn babies.’ She concluded, ‘The message is simple: by taking iodine supplements, pregnant women will be able to prevent brain and organ development problems in their babies, and also maintain a healthy level of iodine for themselves.’
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