July - September 2015, Volume 11, Issue 3

Idiz C, Kucukgergin C, Yalin GY, Onal E, Yarman S

Iodine Status of Pregnant Women in the Apparently Iodine-Sufficient in Istanbul Province: At Least Thirteen Years After Iodization of Table Salt Became Mandatory

Acta Endo (Buc) 2015, 11 (3): 407-412
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2015.407

Context. Despite the developments in strategies related to the iodization of salt, iodine deficiency is still a serious problem, particularly among pregnant women in certain regions of Turkey. Objective. We aimed to re-evaluate the efficiency of iodine prophylaxis in pregnant women and adults 13 years after iodized dietary salt became mandatory in Istanbul. Subjects and Methods. This study was performed with pregnant women (n = 200) and adults (n = 200, 100 nonpregnant women and 100 men). The participants were questioned about the iodization status of the salt they used. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was measured using the Sandell-Kolthoff method. Goiter size and UIC were determined according to Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization recommendations, respectively. Results. Ratio of iodized table salt use was 91% in both groups. Although the median UICs were 162.5μg/L (95% CI = 162.5–186.1) in pregnant women and 167μg/L (95% CI = 153.7–172.7) in adults, 43% of pregnant women had a UIC < 150μg/L, and 23% of adults had a UIC < 100μg/L. The prevalence of goiter was significantly higher in pregnant women than that in adults (50% and 32%, respectively), but a small goiter was found in all cases. Conclusion. Iodine prophylaxis in Istanbul is sufficient and has progressed. However, iodine deficiency remains a problem for a considerable proportion of pregnant women, despite more than one decade of successful salt iodization in Istanbul Province. Iodine-containing preparations should be considered to supplement iodized salt for pregnant women.

Keywords: urinary iodine concentration, pregnant women, iodine deficiency, Turkey

Correspondence: Sema Yarman MD, PhD, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Fatih, Istanbul, 34730, Turkey, E-mail: sema.yarman@gmail.com