ABSTRACT
AIM: To study structural and functional changes in the thyroid gland (TG) in pregnant women living in iodine-deficiency regions; to evaluate efficacy of prophylactic measures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Random sample method was used for examination of 1090 pregnant women living in the regions with different iodine provision. All the participants were examined clinically, measurements were made of thyroid size, TTH, free T4, iodinuria. RESULTS: Iodine salt in household was used only by 17% women. Prophylaxis of iodine deficiency was conducted in 51% pregnant women. Thyroid alterations were detected in 27% examinees, diffuse goiter was diagnosed on the average in 17% pregnant women (in some regions 36%), nodular goiter--in 3.1%, focal goiter alterations of the thyroid--in 4.4%, symptoms of autoimmune thyroid disease--in 2.7%. ldoinuria varied with regions from 72.5 to 150 mcg/l. TTH and T4 levels were mainly normal. Isolated fall of T4 in trimester II and III was registered in 70% pregnant women, low TTH--in 4.4%. CONCLUSION: Most of the pregnant women in the regions studied were at risk of diseases associated with iodine deficiency. Prevention of iodine deficiency is not adequate.
Subject(s)
Goiter, Endemic/epidemiology , Iodine/deficiency , Pregnancy Complications/epidemiology , Calorimetry , Female , Goiter, Endemic/metabolism , Goiter, Endemic/prevention & control , Humans , Potassium Iodide/therapeutic use , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications/blood , Pregnancy Complications/prevention & control , Pregnancy Trimesters/blood , Pregnancy Trimesters/urine , Prevalence , Prognosis , Risk Factors , Russia/epidemiology , Thyroid Function Tests , Thyroid Gland/diagnostic imaging , Thyroid Hormones/blood , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
International practice of the last two decades has demonstrated that universal salt iodization is the most effective, reliable and cost-effective method of preventing iodine deficiency in nutrition.
