Adequate iodine levels in healthy pregnant women. A cross-sectional survey of dietary intake in Turkey.
OBJECTIVE
To assess current iodine levels and related factors among healthy pregnant women.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional, hospital-based study, healthy pregnant women (n=135) were scanned for thyroid volume, provided urine samples for urinary iodine concentration and completed a questionnaire including sociodemographic characteristics and dietary habits targeted for iodine consumption at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine,Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Muğla, Turkey, between August 2014 and February 2015. Sociodemographic data were analyzed by simple descriptive statistics.


RESULTS
Median urinary iodine concentration was 222.0 μg/L, indicating adequate iodine intake during pregnancy. According to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, 28.1% of subjects had iodine deficiency, 34.1% had adequate iodine intake, 34.8% had more than adequate iodine intake, and 3.0% had excessive iodine intake during pregnancy. Education level, higher monthly income, current employment, consuming iodized salt, and adding salt to food during, or after cooking were associated with higher urinary iodine concentration.


CONCLUSIONS
Iodine status of healthy pregnant women was adequate, although the percentage of women with more than adequate iodine intake was higher than the reported literature.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Muğla, Turkey. E-mail. burcuharmandar@gmail.com.
Burcu
B
Kasap
Gülhan
G
Akbaba
Emine N
EN
Yeniçeri
Melike N
MN
Akın
Eren
E
Akbaba
Gökalp
G
Öner
Nilgün Ö
NÖ
Turhan
Mehmet E
ME
Duru
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult
D007455:Iodine