The norm of iodine during pregnancy is increased and is 200-250 mcg per day. This microelement is necessary for the synthesis of thyroid hormones in women. Hormones regulate the total metabolism in the body. From its lack of food, all the organs and tissues of a pregnant woman suffer. Moreover: in the first half of pregnancy the fetus still does not have its own thyroid gland and the lack of hormones of the mother affects the normal development of the unborn child.
With a lack of iodine in the body, the signs are initially nonspecific: general weakness, fatigue, reduced immunity. With chronic shortage of iodine in the body develops:
- hypothyroidism (a disease characterized by a low level of thyroid hormone in the blood);
- endemic cretinism (congenital hypothyroidism with brain damage);
- autoimmune thyroiditis (diffuse goiter, autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid gland).
Lack of iodine in pregnancy - consequences
When the body of a pregnant woman lacks iodine, the negative effects of iodine deficiency affect both the course of pregnancy itself and the development of the fetus.
Negative effects of iodine deficiency for pregnancy:
- in the early stages of iodine deficiency can cause a miscarriage (up to 12 weeks);
- intrauterine growth retardation;
- frozen pregnancy at different times;
- early severe pregnancy toxicosis;
- late toxicosis of pregnancy;
- premature delivery;
- violations of labor (weakness);
- metabolic disorders of the pregnant (overweight).
Negative effects of iodine deficiency for the fetus:
- fetal hypoxia;
- impaired brain development;
- impaired thyroid gland development;
- overweight of the fetus;
- delay in sexual development of the fetus.
Iodine deficiency in pregnancy - prevention
A balanced diet, which contains a sufficient number of vitamins and microelements necessary for a woman, is the best prevention of iodine deficiency.
If there is no hypersensitivity, then a woman should regularly take products containing iodine, during pregnancy. These include seafood (sea kale and fish), iodized salt (if there are no restrictions on salt intake), seafood (oysters, shrimp, mussels), freshwater fish. In small quantities, iodine contains eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, spinach, herbs, radish, carrots, garlic, cabbage.
Very often in the diet of pregnant iodine is not enough for the daily rate of a woman, even if she regularly consumes foods rich in iodine, because the needs are seriously increasing, especially in the second half of pregnancy. But multivitamins with iodine for pregnant women can be prescribed only by a doctor, and not always the dose of iodine in them is sufficient for chronic iodine deficiency. And you can not increase the dose of vitamins because of the risk of overdose. But iodine preparations for pregnant women are rarely prescribed on their own. Most often taken in conjunction with other vitamins or trace elements. From 3 weeks of pregnancy, the daily norm of iodine is 200 mcg per day (for example, iodomarin 200 - 1 tablet per day) in the absence of contraindications.
Symptoms of an iodine overdose during pregnancy
An overdose of iodine can be more dangerous than a lack of iodine in pregnancy. There may be symptoms of thyrotoxicosis, because the drug can not be taken without consulting a doctor. The main symptoms of an iodine overdose are:
- increased salivation;
- skin (acne, swelling of the face) and allergic reactions (urticaria);
- increased body temperature;
- tachycardia;
- headaches, depression, drowsiness, lethargy,
- diarrhea, vomiting, brown coating on the tongue.
When taking 3 g of iodine simultaneously, a fatal outcome is possible without timely medical attention.
Contraindications for the intake of iodine preparations
The main contra-indications for taking iodine-containing drugs are thyrotoxicosis, allergic reactions to drugs, severe kidney and liver diseases. For some iodine preparations, such as potassium iodide, pregnancy itself is a contraindication for taking.