Determination of the effect of maternal iodine status on newborns

Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) is an important public health problem in many countries with negative consequences, especially in pregnant and lactating women and the newborn and children. The aim of this study is to determine the iodine status of the pregnant women and its effects on newborns. For this purpose urinary iodine concentration (UIC) in pregnant women and newborns were determined. Study is a descriptive, cross-sectional study, conducted on 60 pregnant women with gestational age of 37 weeks and over, who applied to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Gaziantep University, Faculty of Medicine and 60 newborns. Maternal demographic characteristics, 24-hour dietary intakes, nutritional habits of pregnant women were determined. Maternal and newborns anthropometric measurements were assessed, spot urine samples were collected and urinary iodine excretions were determined. Mean (±SD) age of women was 26.5±4.8 years. Out of total, 73.3% of pregnant women were consuming iodized salt. Maternal mean urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was 163.4±79.6 mcg/L [iodized salt consuming women (ISCW): 192.9±71.1; and noniodized salt consuming women (NISCW): 82.3±29.8 mcg/L, p=0,000, p<0,05)]. Mean UIC of the newborn was 113.5±44.9 mcg/L (newborns of ISCW: 129.3±41.4 and newborns of NISCW: 70.2±16.6 mcg/L; p=0.000, p<0.05). Maternal median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) of women consuming iodized salt was 163,5 mcg/L, and of women consuming non-iodized salt was 74,6 mcg/L. Median UIC of newborns of ISCW was 118,3 and newborns of NISCW was 67,4 mcg/L. It was found that 3.3% of pregnant women had severe iodine deficiency (<50 mcg/L), 16.7% had moderate deficiency (50-99 mcg/L), 21.7% had mild deficiency (100-149 mcg/L), 50.0% had adequate levels of iodine (150-249 mcg/L) and 8.3% excessive iodine (250-499 mcg/L). In the newborns, deficiency, adequacy and excess levels were found to be 33.3%, 63.3% and 3.3% respectively. The prevelance of deficiency in the newborn of women who consumed iodized salt was lower than those who did not consume iodized salt (p=0.000, p<0.05). Mean body weight of the newborn infants with severe urinary iodine excretion was 2200.0±282.8 grams, while it was 3308.0±384.8 and 3450.0±70.7 grams for the infants of pregnant women with adequate and excessive urinary iodine excretion, respectively. It was found that body weight of the newborn increases as the mother's urinary iodine excretion increases (p=0.005, p<0.05). Height, head circumference and body mass index (BMI) of the newborn of ISCW wer higher than those NISCW (p=0.000, p=0.001 p=0.04 p<0.05). It was found that 95.5% of pregnant women consuming iodized salt added salt to the dishes during cooking and urinary iodine excretion of these pregnant women was found to be lower than those who added iodized salt to the dish after cooking (p=0.001, p<0.05). It could be concluded that maternal iodine excretion concrentration is a good indicator of newborn iodine status and correlates with newborns urinary iodine concentration. National programmes for the prevention of IDD should be implemented efficiently and monitored effectively.