The Effects of Iodine Deficiency in Pregnancy and Infancy
Abstract
Iodine requirements are increased ≥50% during pregnancy. Iodine deficiency during pregnancy can cause maternal and fetal hypothyroidism and impair neurological development of the fetus. The consequences depend upon the timing and severity of the hypothyroidism; the most severe manifestation is cretinism. In moderate‐to‐severely iodine‐deficient areas, controlled studies have demonstrated that iodine supplementation before or during early pregnancy eliminates new cases of cretinism, increases birthweight, reduces rates of perinatal and infant mortality and generally increases developmental scores in young children by 10–20%. Mild maternal iodine deficiency can cause thyroid dysfunction but whether it impairs cognitive and/or neurologic function in the offspring remains uncertain. Two meta‐analyses have estimated that iodine‐deficient populations experience a mean reduction in IQ of 12–13.5 points. In nearly all regions affected by iodine deficiency, salt iodisation is the most cost‐effective way of delivering iodine and improving maternal and infant health.
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Iodine is essential for thyroid hormone synthesis and for normal fetal development.
“Iodine is a micronutrient essential for thyroid hormone synthesis and for normal fetal development [117,118].”
From Maternal Overnutrition and Fetal Programming: Long-Term Metabolic, Cognitive, and Epigenetic Consequences (2026) · cites this paper as [118]
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- Authors
- Zimmermann, M. B.
- Affiliations
- ETH Zurich (CH)
- Corresponding author
- Zimmermann, Michael B.
- Venue
- Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2012-06-28
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- s1
- Pages
- 108-117
- ISSN
- 0269-5022 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-3016
- OpenAlex
- W2146809476
- Cited by
- 340
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 39 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 2.67
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Thyroid Disorders and Treatments
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Chemical Analysis and Environmental Impact
- Keywords
- iodine deficiency, pregnancy, infancy, maternal hypothyroidism, fetal hypothyroidism, cretinism, iodine supplementation, salt iodization, birth weight, perinatal mortality, infant mortality, child cognitive development, brain development
- MeSH terms
- Congenital Hypothyroidism, Female, Humans, Hypothyroidism, Infant, Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena, Infant, Newborn, Iodine, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Sodium Chloride, Dietary, Dietary Supplements, Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena, Fetal Development
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