title: Psychomotor development of children from an iodine-deficient region.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the psychomotor development of the progeny of women from a moderately iodine-deficient area for whom thyroid function during pregnancy was measured.
  
  
  METHODS
  The development of 86 children was assessed by the Bayley Scale of Infant Development at 12, 18, and 24 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maternal serum free thyroxine (FT(4)) levels in the first trimester of pregnancy were the major determinant of psychomotor development at 18 and 24 months. Children born from mothers with FT(4) levels <25th percentile (<10 pg/mL) had an OR of 2.1 for mild-to-severe delay. Furthermore, alterations in behavior were already observed at 12 months and were related to subsequent changes in development. Neonatal thyroid status did not influence development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the need to implement active measures of iodine supplementation periconceptionally and during pregnancy and lactation because the negative effects on development and behavior might be prevented through preemptive action.
authors.affiliation: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Costeira
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Nadine Correia
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ares
authors.forename: Belen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saenz-Rico
authors.forename: Gabriella Morreale
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: de Escobar
authors.forename: Joana Almeida
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Palha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior; D007455:Iodine / Q000172:deficiency*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D007455:Iodine; D013974:Thyroxine