Iodine deficiency during pregnancy adversely affects children’s mental development

A study of around 1,000 UK mothers and their children, published in The Lancet , has revealed that iodine deficiency in pregnancy may have an adverse effect on children's mental development. The research raises concerns that the iodine status of pregnant women is a public-health issue that needs to be addressed. Iodine - which is consumed mainly via dairy products and seafood - is essential for producing the hormones made by the thyroid gland, which have a direct effect on fetal brain development. Although the potentially harmful effects of severe iodine deficiency on brain development are well-established, very few studies have examined the effect of mild or moderate iodine deficiency during pregnancy on cognitive development in the child. The recent recognition of mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency in some UK population groups, including pregnant women, has allowed this effect to be investigated. A group of researchers from Surrey and Bristol universities, led by Professor Margaret Rayman of the University of Surrey, used samples and data from the Bristol-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) , also known as Children of the 90s. This is a long-term health research project in which more than 14,000 mothers enrolled during pregnancy in 1991 and 1992; the health and development of their children has been followed in great detail ever since.