Pregnant women do not supplement enough iodine, children read and write poorly

Scientists recommend that the average adult should supplement 150mcg of iodine per day, pregnant women 220mcg of iodine/day and breastfeeding women 290mcg of iodine/day.

American scientists conducted a study of data on about 228 pregnant women who were patients at the Royal Hobart Hospital, Tasmania and their children. The results showed that women who supplemented iodine deficiently (less than 150mcg/day) had children with lower scores in grammar and spelling than those of women who supplemented iodine adequately (over 150mcg/day).

Professor Kristen Hynes, Head of the research team, and her colleagues suspect that iodine deficiency is the cause of hearing and brain damage in children, affecting their ability to process information quickly after they receive it. Children of pregnant women with mild iodine deficiency have scores 6-10% lower than children of pregnant women with sufficient iodine.

Scientists recommend that the average adult should supplement 150mcg of iodine per day, pregnant women 220mcg of iodine/day and breastfeeding women 290mcg of iodine/day. The main sources of iodine are milk, fish, vegetables and iodized salt.

According to Health & Life - NT