Volume 193 - Issue 5
Iodine deficiency in Australia: is iodine supplementation for pregnant and lactating women warranted?
Author: Warwick P Anderson
Med J Aust 2010; 193 (5): 309-311. || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2010.tb03920.x
Published online: 6 September 2010
Published online: 6 September 2010
To the Editor: I refer to the article by Gallego and colleagues in the 19 April 2010 issue of the Journal,1 which stated that (as at the time of writing, in July 2009) Australia had no formal policies for iodine supplementation in pregnant and lactating women. In January 2010, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) released a public statement, Iodine supplementation for pregnant and breastfeeding women.2
The NHMRC recommends that women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or considering pregnancy take an iodine supplement of 150 μg each day; and women with pre-existing thyroid conditions should seek advice from their medical practitioner before taking a supplement. The public statement also provides information on the increased need for iodine during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and breastfeeding, the risks of not having enough iodine and the types of supplement that should and should not be used.
The statement was developed in consultation with an expert reference group and was based on a review of recent international scientific literature for the efficacy of iodine supplementation in increasing iodine levels in pregnant and breastfeeding women to levels that mitigate the risks associated with iodine deficiency.3
The public statement and supporting literature review can be found on the NHMRC website.2,3
References
- Gallego G, Goodall S, Eastman CJ. Iodine deficiency in Australia: is iodine supplementation for pregnant and lactating women warranted? Med J Aust 2010; 192: 461-463. 0_CBBIIECA
- National Health and Medical Research Council. Iodine supplementation for pregnant and breastfeeding women [public statement]. Canberra: NHMRC, 2010. http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/new45_syn.htm (accessed Jun 2010).
- National Health and Medical Research Council. Iodine supplementation during pregnancy and lactation [literature review]. Canberra: NHMRC, 2009. http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/new45_syn.htm (accessed Jun 2010).