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Topical Area: Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and Minerals (Poster Session)

(P11-021-23) Iodine Nutritional Status of Lactating Mother-Infant Pairs From Northwest Mexico: A Pilot Study

Saturday, July 22, 2023
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET
Location: Poster Board 252
Disclosure(s):
Ana Maria Estardante, MSc: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Veronica Lopez-Teros, DSc: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: To assess iodine nutritional status of lactating mother-infant pairs in agricultural and urban areas of Northwest Mexico.

Methods: 23 pairs residing in agricultural and urban areas of Northwest Mexico were evaluated during lactation at 13 ± 6 weeks postpartum. Each mother collected a 24 h urine sample and in infants a spot urine sample was collected. Additionally, the iodine content from a table salt sample from each household was analyzed. Urine iodine was measured by Sandell-Kolthoff reaction following standard procedures.

Results: The median urinary iodine excretion (UIE) in 24 h (n=16) was 114 μg/day (IQR 95%: 74-225 μg/day) providing an estimated average iodine intake of 124 μg/day. The median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) from the mothers was 107 μg/L (IQR 95%: 60-249 μg/L) and in the breastfeed infants (n=14) was 204 μg/L (IQR 95%: 120-525 μg/L), all infants had adequate UIC ( >100 μg/L). Estimated iodine intake in the mothers was insufficient in 14 from which 8 had iodine excretion < 100 μg/L, indicating risk of iodine deficiency (ID). The mean iodine content of table salt was 23±13 ppm in 13 households; one third of the table salt samples were below adequate fortification ( < 15 ppm). Sixty five percent of mothers used prenatal supplementation and only 43.5% took supplements with iodine (100 μg/day) during pregnancy.

Conclusions: The median UIE and UIC in this group indicates an adequate iodine nutritional status in nursing infants and lactating women. Still, there is a large proportion of lactating women at risk of mild or moderate ID despite living in a country with mandatory universal salt iodization. The use of iodine supplementation should be reinforced as a public health action during pregnancy and lactation to prevent ID in the mothers.

Funding Sources: Funded by the International Atomic Energy Agency. AME-O received a fellowship from the Mexican National Research and Technology Council