Iodine plays an important role in the brain development and the nervous system of the unborn baby during pregnancy. It is not found naturally in the body but it can be obtained by eating foods such as oily fish, seafood, cow’s milk, grains, and seeds.
However, institutions such as the WHO and the European Food Safety Authority encourage pregnant women to take a iodine supplementationto give their children the nutrients they need. Severe iodine deficiency during pregnancy is a major cause of brain damage.
In addition, a lack of iodine could cause other problems such as death at birth, miscarriage, physical impairment, and thyroid dysfunction. The element is therefore essential especially for pregnant women and young children.
WHO has described iodine deficiency as a “serious public health threat to 2 billion people, including 241 million children.” “
Benefits for the future income of the unborn child and for society
The British study, published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, specifies that with regard to pregnancy, the lack of iodine constitutes “the main cause of preventable mental retardation”.
According to the study authors, even a very mild iodine deficiency is associated with Lower IQ in children. The researchers wanted to examine the potential public health benefits of iodine supplementation in pregnant women. To do this, the researchers measured how much a child’s IQ could increase with enough iodine and the impact this would have on their income as adults and on society in general. They calculated the numbers taking into account the results of eight previous studies. Taken together, the studies estimated that an individual’s income could potentially increase to as much as £ 11,967 (roughly € 16,720).
Lead author of the study, Professor Kate Jolly of the University of Birmingham (UK) told the BBC that the next step is to identify women who are iodine deficient and target them.
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