Importance of iodine during pregnancy overlooked by gps research

GPs and healthcare providers participating in antenatal shared care (ANSC) have poor knowledge about the importance of iodine and its role during pregnancy, new Australian research shows. A cross-sectional survey of 61 healthcare providers and 141 pregnant women from the Illawarra region in New South Wales revealed that neither group was adequately informed about iodine. Despite the median iodine intake of women surveyed meeting the recommended daily intake of 160 lg/day, only 26% of GPs surveyed admitted to discussing iodine supplementation with their patients - showing an opportunity for healthcare providers to play a more prominent role in nutritional education during pregnancy. “Our findings identify a need for providers of ANSC to receive adequate education regarding the roles and requirements of iodine in pregnancy, particularly with regard to supplementation,” the study authors wrote.