Introduction
Iodine supply is inadequate in most parts of Hungary, except in small areas of the Great Plains (1±4). Several attempts have been made to eliminate this iodine deficiency (5). Since the 1970s, the issue of inadequate iodine intake has been publicized by several authors as a problem requiring immediate attention (1±3). Iodized salt and iodine-containing tablets can be purchased on a voluntary basis; however, as no state-organized program has been developed, inadequate iodine intake has remained a nation-wide health problem. Previous studies found the region of Debrecen (which is situated on the Great Plains) to be an area of adequate iodine intake as judged by the low frequency of goiter in the population, except for a few clusters of small villages (4±6). Previous investigations confirmed that the most detrimental effects of inadequate nutritional iodine intake appear in pregnant women and in children (7±9). Hormonal changes and metabolic demands during pregnancy result in alterations in the biochemical parameters of thyroid function (10). The effects of iodine deficiency become manifest even in geographical areas of borderline iodine supply, because the thyroid gland cannot meet the demand for increased production of thyroid hormone (10±13). The main changes in thyroid metabolism in pregnancy are well characterized (10±15). Iodine deficiency triggers compensatory stimulating events affecting the thyroid gland of both the mother and the fetus. With respect to long-term effects, the development of goiter is only of secondary importance; the detrimental effect of mild thyroid insufficiency (defined by a moderate decrease inmaternal free thyroxine (FT4) concentration) on the neuropsychological development of the child has been repeatedly emphasized (9, 16±22). We assumed that, in a community with apparently sufficient iodine intake, the increased iodine demand during pregnancy might lead to manifest iodine deficiency in pregnant women. In the present study we show that the iodine nutritional status found in the general population may not reliably re¯ect the iodine supply of pregnant women living in the same region
Introduction Iodine supply is inadequate in most parts of Hungary, except in small areas of the Great Plains (1±4). Several attempts have been made to eliminate this iodine deficiency (5). Since the 1970s, the issue of inadequate iodine intake has been publicized by several authors as a problem requiring immediate attention (1±3). Iodized salt and iodine-containing tablets can be purchased on a voluntary basis; however, as no state-organized program has been developed, inadequate iodine intake has remained a nation-wide health problem. Previous studies found the region of Debrecen (which is situated on the Great Plains) to be an area of adequate iodine intake as judged by the low frequency of goiter in the population, except for a few clusters of small villages (4±6). Previous investigations confirmed that the most detrimental effects of inadequate nutritional iodine intake appear in pregnant women and in children (7±9). Hormonal changes and metabolic demands during pregnancy result in alterations in the biochemical parameters of thyroid function (10). The effects of iodine deficiency become manifest even in geographical areas of borderline iodine supply, because the thyroid gland cannot meet the demand for increased production of thyroid hormone (10±13). The main changes in thyroid metabolism in pregnancy are well characterized (10±15). Iodine deficiency triggers compensatory stimulating events affecting the thyroid gland of both the mother and the fetus. With respect to long-term effects, the development of goiter is only of secondary importance; the detrimental effect of mild thyroid insufficiency (defined by a moderate decrease inmaternal free thyroxine (FT4) concentration) on the neuropsychological development of the child has been repeatedly emphasized (9, 16±22). We assumed that, in a community with apparently sufficient iodine intake, the increased iodine demand during pregnancy might lead to manifest iodine deficiency in pregnant women. In the present study we show that the iodine nutritional status found in the general population may not reliably re¯ect the iodine supply of pregnant women living in the same region
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