Thyroglobulin as a proxy for iodine status in pregnancy

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Nutritional Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Iodine is crucial for thyroid hormone production and fetal neurological development.
• Assessing iodine nutritional status in pregnant populations is vital for public health.
• Thyroglobulin (Tg) is explored as a potential indicator of iodine status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the iodine nutritional status of pregnant women in Veneto.
• To investigate the role of thyroglobulin (Tg) as a proxy for iodine status.
• To identify dietary and supplemental factors influencing iodine levels during pregnancy.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 528 pregnant women in their third trimester.
• Collected urine samples for iodine/creatinine (UI/Creat) and blood samples for thyroid function and Tg.
• Utilized questionnaires for dietary habits and supplement use; obtained infant birth data.

Main Results:

• Median UI/Creat was 112.8 μg/g; 34.1% of women had UI/Creat ≥150 μg/g.
• Regular consumption of cow's milk and iodine-containing supplements (ICS) predicted higher UI/Creat.
• Lower Tg levels were observed in iodine-sufficient women; Tg correlated with birth weight, length, and preterm delivery risk.

Conclusions:

• Cow's milk and ICS intake are associated with adequate iodine status in pregnant women.
• Thyroglobulin (Tg) is linked to iodine status and pregnancy outcomes, but has limited discriminative power for sufficiency.
• Findings highlight the importance of dietary factors and supplements for maintaining iodine status during pregnancy.