Your child will be 10% less intelligent if he lacks this substance.

Iodine deficiency during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or the baby being born with low intelligence and permanent brain damage.

According to the latest survey results of the National Institute of Nutrition, Vietnamese meals are rich in meat and fish but still do not meet the necessary micronutrients. Micronutrient deficiency will especially affect pregnant women and the development of children.

The period that requires the most iodine supplementation is the first 6 months of pregnancy and from birth until 3 years old.

Before 2005, over 90% of Vietnamese households used iodized salt that met disease prevention standards, meeting the threshold requirements of the national target program. However, in the next 3 years, when the target program was stopped, the coverage dropped to 70%, and the iodine concentration added to the diet also decreased. By 2011, this rate was only over 45%.

Attention during the first 6 months of pregnancy and children up to 3 years old

Iodine is a trace mineral essential for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland, UNICEF stressed. When iodine intake falls below the recommended level, the thyroid gland may no longer be able to synthesize enough hormones, causing effects on the developing brain of the newborn and other harmful effects.

The most critical period for iodine deficiency is from the first 6 months of pregnancy and after birth until the age of 3. Especially at week 12 of pregnancy, the fetus needs iodine to synthesize thyroid hormones.

Therefore, pregnant women are always selected as the priority intervention group of iodine deficiency prevention programs. Iodine deficiency during pregnancy leads to irreversible impairment of brain development in children.

Dr. Tran Khanh Van, Deputy Head of the Micronutrient Department, National Institute of Nutrition, further emphasized that an iodine deficiency will cause a child's intelligence quotient to decrease by 10% compared to children who are adequately supplemented.

Dr. Cao Thi Hau

Further analysis, Dr. Cao Thi Hau, Vietnam Nutrition Association said that iodine is a micronutrient needed to synthesize thyroid hormones. When the body lacks iodine, the thyroid gland works harder to synthesize more thyroid hormones, causing the thyroid gland to enlarge, causing goiter.

In addition, iodine also helps maintain body temperature, bone development, differentiation and development of the brain and nervous system during fetal life.

In pregnant women, iodine deficiency can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature birth. When the mother is severely iodine deficient, the child may be born mentally retarded with permanent brain damage or have congenital disabilities such as paralysis of the arms and legs, slurred speech, deafness, muteness, and strabismus.

Children with iodine deficiency will also have slow intellectual development, slow growth, deafness, and poor learning.

The recommended iodine requirement for children is 90-120 mcg/day, and for adults is 150 mcg. Iodine deficiency disorders can be completely prevented by supplementing daily meals. In addition to iodized salt, foods rich in iodine include sea fish, seaweed, amaranth, watercress, algae, etc.

According to VNN