A recent study conducted in Tasmania to assess the impact of iodine fortification of bread in improving the iodine status of pregnant women has concluded that iodine deficiency still persists and is a serious problem in pregnant women and children despite the iodine fortification of bread to correct it.
The study assessed the iodine status of pregnant women attending Royal Hobart Hospital prior to and after iodine fortification of bread and has demonstrated an insignificant improvement in iodine levels, which remain well below the level recommended by The World Health Organisation International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (WHOICCIDD).
Director of the Australian Centre for Iodine Deficiency Disorders, Professor Creswell Eastman, commented that "iodine deficiency is an old disease that has returned and poses an enormous problem to our health and most importantly the wellbeing of the brains of the next generation of Australian children".
"The big issue is that we now understand that pregnant women need a lot more iodine as do breast-feeding women," said Eastman.
"It's very difficult to get an adequate amount of iodine in the Australian diet in the way it's currently structured. Even eating a lot of fish in your diet doesn't provide you with enough iodine."
If women don't get enough iodine there are many serious side effects. For pregnant women, the thyroid will not make enough thyroid hormones and the baby's brain may not get enough thyroid hormone.
Eastman went on to explain that children born of moderately-severely iodine deficient mothers have lower IQs. They may lose 5 to 15 IQ points, have hearing difficulties, learning and behavioural difficulties and ultimately have an increased size of their thyroid gland as they grow up.
"If you are planning to fall pregnant, or you are already pregnant or breast-feeding, then you may consider taking a supplement with iodine," said Eastman.
References available on request