Nutritional status of iodine in pregnant and non-pregnant adolescents assisted at the Family Health Strategy in Vespasiano, MG

Abstract

Objectives: to evaluate the nutritional status of iodine in pregnant adolescents, taking into account the increase in the demand for iodine during pregnancy and the absence of iodization strategies for this population. Methods: cross-sectional study conducted with 62 pregnant and 71 non-pregnant adolescents assisted in primary care. The nutritional status of iodine was determined by urinary samples. The iodine concentration in the consumed culinary salt was also evaluated. For the comparative analyses of categorical variables, the Chi-square test was used and for the continuous variables, the Kruskal-Wallis test, considering a 95% confidence interval (CI) and significance level of 5%. Results: the mean iodine concentration in household salt was 25.1 mg/kg (CI95%= 11.1-67.5 mg/kg), with higher mean content in culinary salt in the group of pregnant women (p<0.028). Regarding the nutritional status of iodine, 71% of pregnant adolescents were deficient and 29% iodine-sufficient, with significant difference when compared to 38% of deficiency and 62% of sufficiency in the control group (p<0.001). Conclusions: there was an iodic deficiency among pregnant adolescents, even in the face of higher concentrations of iode in household salt, exposing a paradox between higher consumption and lower sufficiency in this group. Thus, it is suggested to consider iodine supplementation during pregnancy, seeking to minimize the effects of this deficiency on maternal and child health.