The pregnancy
The right amount of iodine during pregnancy (or gestation) is essential for the correct and complete development of the fetus.
Energy, plastic nutrients and essential molecules or microelements must meet the basic and daily needs of the mother, as well as the development and growth of the fetus.
To learn more, read: diet during pregnancy "
Need
Specifically, the dietary iodine intake for an adult woman is around 150 micrograms (µg) / day and the recommended ration increase in case of gestation is equal to 25µg / day; ultimately, the iodine intake during pregnancy should be around 175µg / day.
Foods rich in iodine
Ranking of food sources of iodine:
- Fish and fishery products 50-100mcgr per 100g of edible portion
- Human milk 30-70mcgr per 100g of edible portion
- Fruit, vegetables, cereals and meat 2-5mcgr / 100g of edible portion
NB: In order to prevent the iodine deficiency that characterizes the entire peninsula, it is advisable to consume table salt (sodium chloride) supplemented with iodine for at least 2/3 of the total use. Unfortunately, to date the consumption of iodized salt still does not reach sufficient levels to prevent iodine deficiency in the diet of Italians.
Functions
Iodine is a fundamental constituent of thyroid hormones, therefore its function is directly correlated with the specific action of its hormones: T4 (tetraiodothyronine) and T3 (triiodothyronine). appearance of deficiency symptoms have shown that, on average, the amount of iodine introduced with the diet does NOT reach the minimum requirement for correct organic functioning; however, it is mandatory to specify that an iodine intake of 30-40mcgr / day seems sufficient to ward off hormonal alterations in T4 and T3.
Effects of Deficiency
In 1990, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that over 20 million people in the world suffer from a brain deficit due to iodine deficiency in the diet; these data put the hypo-iodine diet at the top of the world ranking of preventable causes compared to mental deficits.
The specific symptom of iodine deficiency is goiter, which is an "anatomical alteration characterized by" an increase in the pituitary hormone Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), in fact, this condition is justified by the "hyper-stimulation of the thyroid gland and its increase in volume. This reaction is aimed at optimizing the uptake, fixation and extraction of the greatest possible quantity of circulating blood iodine.
Excess of iodine
Very rare but still noteworthy is the super dosage; in this case they may appear toxic goiter (Plummer's disease) and hyperthyroidism.
Importance in Pregnancy
Iodine in pregnancy is essential in order to prevent complications in fetal development; however, according to the Recommended Nutrient Intake Levels for the Italian population (LARN), the evaluation and dietary correction of the "iodine intake" must necessarily be carried out in the pre-pregnancy period. Otherwise, similarly to the shortage of the gestational period, the pre-pregnancy deficit can favor:
- abortion
- increase in peri-natal mortality
- congenital anomalies
- neurological changes
- mental deficit.
It seems that these complications, linked to iodine deficiency in pregnancy (especially in the first two trimesters) and its low intake in the pre-pregnancy period, can be easily prevented by guaranteeing only 1 mcg / kg of body weight / day; however, by estimating the average gestational weight reached in Italy, a similar intake would hardly cover even 40-50% of the recommended daily ration.
Ultimately, in order to prevent complications on the fetus induced by hypo-iodine malnutrition of the pregnant woman, it is advisable to verify that the pre-pregnancy iodine intake reaches 150mcgr / day and that the iodine intake during pregnancy (especially in first two quarters) is equal to 175mcgr / day.
Bibliography:
- Medicines in pregnancy - Emilio Arisi - pages 183-184.
- Recommended Intake Levels of Nutrients for the Italian Population (LARN) - Italian Society of Human Nutrition (S.I.N.U.) - page 175: 179.
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