Abstract

CABALLERO, Luis. Iodine deficiency in breastfeeding mothers. Arch Venez Puer Ped [online]. 2017, vol.80, n.2, pp.62-68. ISSN 0004-0649.

Iodine is an essential component of thyroid hormones (TH). TH are necessary for brain development. The most susceptible groups to iodine deficiency (ID) are pregnant and lactating women and children under two years of age. Maternal nutritional status and iodine intake strongly affect the amount of this nutrient secreted in breast milk (BM). Most of the iodine absorbed by the body is eventually excreted in the urine. For this reason, the median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) is the best indicator to assess the iodine nutritional status of lactating women and children less than two years of age. With base on the UIC in most of Latin American school-aged children, iodine intake was normal. However, iodine sufficiency in school age children not always corresponds with an adequate intake in lactating mothers. Little attention has been paid to the adverse consequences of ID during lactation. The objective of this short review was to examine the importance of iodine nutritional status in lactating women. We recommend to establish surveillance and monitoring of iodine status in lactating women through urine iodine levels, to implement measures to help promote an optimal health and nutrition of the mother to prevent iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) of infants and young children.

Keywords : iodine deficiency; lactation; lactating mothers; breast milk; thyroid diseases; urinary iodine concentration.

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