BSS, Dhaka :
Around 41,000 stillbirths occur, 33,000 infants die in the first year of life and 15,000 women give birth to mentally-challenged children in Bangladesh every year. Iodine deficiency is the prime cause of these.
The thyroid, a small butterfly-shaped gland in the throat, needs iodine to produce hormones which regulate many metabolic processes, like growth and energy use. These hormones have an important role in regulating physical and mental growth, especially in developing fetus, baby and children.
Though the mineral is needed in small amount but it is not stored in the body, so in our diet we need to add foods that contain iodine.
There are certain foods which preserve standard amount of iodine in them. These include commercially prepared bread, eggs, meat, cow’s milk, yogurt, vegetables and dairy products. Seafood and seaweed are also a great choice for increasing iodine intake.
The amount of iodine needed in body is around one teaspoonful in comparison to other nutrients. The recommended daily intake for iodine depends on life stage. Ninety-microgram (mcg) iodine is requiredfor younger children (1 to 8 years), while older children (9 to 13 years) need 120mcg. During pregnancy and breastfeeding period, a mother requires to take 220mcg and 270mcg respectively considering baby’s need.
Iodine deficiency can lead to a variety of health and developmental consequences known as iodine deficiency disorder (IDD). Iodine deficiency is especially damaging during the early stage of pregnancy and in early childhood.
In their most severe forms, IDD can lead to cretinism, stillbirth and miscarriage. Even mild deficiency can cause a significant loss of learning ability. In 2013, more than 35million newborns were unprotected from the lifelong consequences of brain damage associated with iodine deficiency.
Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or considering becoming pregnant should ask their health professional for advice about their individual dietary needs. Because severe iodine deficiency in a pregnant or breastfeeding woman might lead to brain damage in her fetus, infant and baby. Women have abortions and stillbirths. Children are born with low birth weights and permanent physical and mental birth defects.
