Iodine supplementation during pregnancy is important to avoid miscarriage or problems with the baby’s development, such as mental retardation. Iodine is a nutrient present, especially in seaweed and fish, which is important during pregnancy to ensure the baby’s health, especially in the formation of hormones.
The recommended amount of iodine during pregnancy is 200 to 250 mcg per day, the equivalent of 1 piece of salmon, 1 cup of milk, 1 egg and 2 slices of cheese, which is, in general, easily achieved through regular nutrition. woman. In Brazil, iodine deficiency is very rare because salt is normally enriched in iodine, making it even easier to achieve basic recommendations.
Iodine supplement in pregnancy
Iodine supplementation during pregnancy may be necessary when levels are low and, in this case, tablets containing 150 to 200 mcg of potassium iodide are usually taken daily. Furthermore, the WHO has recommended that every woman who is trying to get pregnant or who is already pregnant take an iodine supplement to protect the baby.
Supplementation must be prescribed by a doctor or nutritionist and can be started before conception and be necessary throughout the pregnancy and as long as the baby’s diet is exclusively breast milk.
Foods rich in iodine are also recommended
Foods with iodine are mainly foods of marine origin, such as fish, seafood and shellfish.
Iodized salt is also one of the main ways to ingest iodine, however, the amount of one teaspoon per day should not be exceeded. See more examples of Foods rich in iodine.
Ideal Iodine values during pregnancy
To check whether the amount of iodine is adequate during pregnancy, it is necessary to do a urine test and the iodine must be between 150 and 249 mcg/L. If the result is:
- Less than 99 g/L means you have an iodine deficiency.
- In between 100 a 299 g/L, are the appropriate iodine values.
- Higher than 300 g/L, there is excess iodine in the body.
Changes in iodine in the mother’s body may also be related to poor thyroid function, even during pregnancy and, therefore, blood tests are generally carried out to check the functioning of thyroid hormones. For example, iodine deficiency is one of the main causes of hypothyroidism, which corresponds to a slow functioning of the thyroid. To learn more about hypothyroidism in pregnancy see: Hypothyroidism in pregnancy.
