Development of thyroid dysfunction among women with excessive iodine intake - A 3-year follow-up

摘要

Objectives: Thyroid dysfunction can be a result of excessive iodine intake, which may have adverse health consequences, particularly for women in fertile age. In 2010, we conducted a cross-sectional study among lactating women with excessive iodine intake in the Saharawi refugee camps in Algeria and found a high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction. Three years later, we conducted a follow-up study to monitor the iodine situation and explore whether thyroid dysfunction still was highly prevalent when the women no longer were post-partum. None of the women were treated for hyper- or hypothyroidism between baseline and follow-up.