Iodine deficiency in pregnant women in eastern Turkey (Malatya Province): 7 years after the introduction of mandatory table salt iodization

摘要

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to evaluate the urinary I excretion of pregnant women in Malatya Province, eastern Turkey.Design and settingA cross-sectional study was performed on pregnant women in urban and rural settlements of Malatya Province.SubjectsUrinary I excretion was measured for 824 pregnant women who were randomly selected using a probability-proportional-to-size sampling methodology.ResultsMedian urinary I concentration (UIC) of pregnant women was 77?·4 ??g/l. The percentage of pregnant women with UIC below 100 ??g/l was 83?·3.ConclusionThese results indicate that I deficiency disorders (IDD) is still a problem in Malatya Province and most certainly in other parts of the country. Proper monitoring of I content of the salt sold or used in the area, in order to strengthen the IDD intervention programme, is suggested.