title: Low iodine intake during pregnancy: relationship to placental development and head circumference in newborn.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Iodine is considered to be an essential micronutrient in pregnant women. Iodine placental transport to the embryo-fetus is essential for hormone synthesis and is crucial for nervous system development. However, the relationship between iodine intake and placental weight and its potential implications for the newborn have not been studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Iodine intake was analyzed in 77 pregnant women based on urinary iodine excretion (UIE) levels, measured using Pinós modified method (normal value, ≥ 150 μg/L). Placental weight was measured (PW: normal, ≥500 g). In the newborn, weight, height, and head perimeter (HP) were also measured. Placental index (PI: placental weight/newborn weight) was calculated, and was considered normal if ≥0.15.
  
  
  RESULTS
  UIE was normal in 50 pregnant women (mean ± SD, 279 μg/L ± 70.22 μg/L) and decreased in 27 (94 μg/L ± 31.49 μg/L). Newborns of mothers with low UIE had a similar weight (3357 g ± 416.30 g; n: 27) to those of mothers with normal UIE (3489 g ± 560.59 g; n: 50). Forty-four percent of mothers with low UIE had PW <500 g, and statistically lower HPs were found in newborns of mothers with low PW (PW(3)500 g: 36.05 cm ± 0.55 cm, n: 54; PW <500 g: 33.93 cm ± 15 cm, n:23, p<0.019). Similar results were found with PI, but they did not reach statistical significance (0,17 ± 0,04; p=0.066). No differences were seen in all other parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study suggests the existence of a relationship between PW and HP. This finding may be related to iodine intake during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Servicios de Endocrinología y Diabetes, Hospital de Niños R. Gutiérrez, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Jorge Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Olivares
authors.forename: Graciela Inés
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Olivi
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verdasco
authors.forename: Valeria Analia
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: Marcos Alejandro
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cresto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina; D001724:Birth Weight; D001827:Body Height; D002508:Cephalometry; D004032:Diet; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007455:Iodine / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000652:urine; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009929:Organ Size; D010920:Placenta / Q000473:pathology*; D010929:Placentation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000652:urine; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007455:Iodine