Assessment of urinary iodine excretion and iodine intake amounts of pregnants

This study is performed to assess the iodine uptake and urinary iodine excretion status of pregnant women between 19-45 ages. 150 pregnant women referred to Trabzon Akçaabat Haçkalı Baba State Hospital Gynecology and Obstetrics Department were enrolled in the study. Research datas were collected in a face to face interview setting by a questionnaire which determines general characteristics, nutrition habits, iodine salt uptake behaviours, iodine including nutrients intake frequency, nutrient consumption records by 24 hours recalling method, anthropometric measurements and general iodine knowledge of pregnant women. Mean age of pregnant women was 28,6±5,8 years, mean pregnancy week was 25,4±10,0 weeks, mean interval between last two pregnancies was 43,8±38,9 months, mean individual number of families was 3,3±1,4 and mean pregnancy number was 2,4±1,5. Percentage of pregnants in their 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters were 12%, 42% and 46% respectively. 78 percent of the pregnants were consuming three main dishes and 92 percent of them were consuming at least one snack. 96 percent of pregnants were using iodine salt while cooking, 97,3 percent of them were consuming iodine salt with meals and 14 percent of them were using it while preparing brine/pickles. Mean general iodine knowledge point of the pregnants was 8,5±4,5 and the corelation between general iodine knowledge point and education level was statistically significant (p<0,01). Mean urinary iodine concentration of pregnant women was 109,1±57,2 µg/L and 80 percent of them had insufficient, 18,7 percent had sufficient and 1,3 percent had over urinary iodine concentration. There was no statistically significant relationship between urinary iodine concentration and salt keeping conditions or duration (p>0,05). The mean iodine intake by pregnant women on a daily diet was 185,0±59,4 μg. Daily iodine intake in those with higher iodine concentrations (387,3±94,5 μg/L) is higher than in those with insufficient (173,1±52,5 μg/L) and sufficient (221,5±43,9 μg/L) urine iodine concentrations and the difference was statistically significant (r=0,560; p=0,000). 63,3 percent of pregnants had sufficient iodine intake and mean urinary iodine concentration was increased by increasing values of daily iodine intake (p<0,05). When the consumption of iodine-containing foods was examined in this study, mean urinary iodine concentration was significantly increased by increasing values of cheese, legume and daily salt consumption (p<0,05). In conclusion; it has been determined that pregnant women's urine concentrations were inadequate, they did not get enough iodine with food and iodine related information was not enough.