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Presentation date

Summer 8-12-2021

College, Institute, or Department

Pediatrics

Faculty Mentor

Ann Anderson Berry

Research Mentor

Melissa Thoene

Abstract

Iodine is an essential micronutrient that must be obtained through dietary sources such as dairy products, fish, and iodized salt. Iodine plays an important role in the function of the thyroid and its ability to produce triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). The thyroid is involved in fetal neurocognitive development and metabolism. The objective of this study was to assess whether maternal dietary iodine intake during pregnancy affects birth anthropometrics and gestation length in infants. This study enrolled 46 mother-infant pairs at the time of delivery for sample collection and completion of a dietary intake assessment. Only one mother was found to be adequate for dietary iodine intake. The results showed a significant correlation between birth length percentile and iodine intake. Severe maternal iodine deficiency can lead to congenital hypothyroidism and goiter in neonates, reflecting the importance of sufficient iodine intake during pregnancy. Future directions include enrolling a larger sample size and considering use of a different nutritional assessment tool. Understanding the impact of iodine deficiency during pregnancy may be crucial to improving patient outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Keywords

iodine, thyroid, pregnancy, infant growth outcomes, deficiency

Assessing Maternal Dietary Iodine Intake During Pregnancy and its Effect on Infant Birth Growth Outcomes
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