Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2013 Mar-Apr;19(2):206-11.
doi: 10.4158/EP12193.OR.

Iodine nutrition during pregnancy in Toronto, Canada

Affiliations

Iodine nutrition during pregnancy in Toronto, Canada

Pamela M Katz et al. Endocr Pract. 2013 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the status of iodine nutrition among pregnant women presenting for routine antenatal care in Toronto, Canada, as determined by the median urine iodine concentration (UIC) of this population.

Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted involving 142 pregnant women recruited from four low-risk antenatal outpatient clinics in Toronto, Canada. Subjects completed a questionnaire and provided a spot urine sample for the measurement of iodine concentration.

Results: Mean maternal age was 33.8 ± 4.3 years. Mean gestational age was 29.3 ± 7.8 weeks. The median UIC was 221 μg/L (interquartile range, 142 to 397 μg/L). Six women (4.2%) had urine iodine levels <50 μg/L, and 36 women (25.4%) had levels between 50 and 150 μg/L.

Conclusion: This cohort of primarily Caucasian, well-educated, and relatively affluent pregnant women in Toronto, Canada, are iodine sufficient, perhaps due to universal salt iodization and/or other dietary and lifestyle factors.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

DISCLOSURE

The authors have no multiplicity of interest to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distribution of urine iodine concentration (UIC) values in the study population.

References

    1. Brown RS. Minireview: developmental regulation of thyrotropin receptor gene expression in the fetal and newborn thyroid. Endocrinology. 2004;145:4058–4061. - PubMed
    1. Pharoah PO, Buttfield IH, Hetzel BS. Neurological damage to the fetus resulting from severe iodine deficiency during pregnancy. Lancet. 1971;1:308–310. - PubMed
    1. Boyages SC. Clinical review 49: Iodine deficiency disorders. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1993;77:587–591. - PubMed
    1. Cao XY, Jiang XM, Dou ZH, et al. Timing of vulnerability of the brain to iodine deficiency in endemic cretinism. N Engl J Med. 1994;331:1739–1744. - PubMed
    1. Zoeller RT, Rovet J. Timing of thyroid hormone action in the developing brain: clinical observations and experimental findings. J Neuroendocrinol. 2004;16:809–818. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms