Iodine supplementation in pregnancy and lactation

The benefits of Iodine supplementation in Iodine-deficient areas are well established. The World Health Organization included Spain among the countries with an adequate Iodine intake in 2004 and some recent research papers confirm that Iodine intake is adequate in the Spanish population.

Nevertheless, Spanish health professionals have been faced with contradictory recommendations, producing confusion and uncertainty in clinical practice referring to Iodine supplementation in pregnancy and breastfeeding mothers. Clinicians and researchers are concerned that mild or moderate Iodine deficiency could be related to underdevelopment in children, but routine Iodine supplementation in pregnancy is not risk free.

The working group PrevInfad (Prevention in Childhood and Adolescence) considers that being a preventive intervention that applies to the total healthy population, the precaution principle must be prioritized, and that there is no evidence on the balance risk-benefit in the pharmacological Iodine supplementation during pregnancy and breastfeeding. For these reasons they suggest not making this intervention.