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Mild- to moderate iodine deficiency in pregnancy and early age and risk of impaired neuropsychological development

Project

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Updated

The aim of this project was to explore the associations between maternal iodine intake in pregnancy from food and supplements and markers of child brain development in The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study

Summary

Iodine is an integral part of the thyroid hormones that are essential in foetal brain development and iodine deficiency is the world’s most prevalent, yet easily preventable, cause of brain damage. Severe iodine deficiency in pregnancy has detrimental effects on foetal neurodevelopment, whereas less is known about the potential consequences of mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency. The aim of this project was to explore the associations between maternal iodine intake in pregnancy from food and supplements and markers of child brain development in The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Additionally, in a subsample of around 3000 women, we aimed to examine associations between maternal iodine status and maternal thyroid function. Four papers have been published in this project so far and the results indicate that low maternal iodine intake is associated with impaired neurodevelopmental outcomes in children at 3 and 8 years.

Project leader

Anne Lise Brantsæter, Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Project participants

Marianne Hope Abel, OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslomet - Oslo Metropolitan University
Liv Elin Torheim, OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslomet - Oslo Metropolitan University
Ida Henriette Caspersen, Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Helle Margrete Meltzer, Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Alice Margareta Haugen, Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Jan Alexander, Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Heidi Aase, Child Health and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Ragnhild Eek Brandlistuen, Child Health and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Gro Dehli Villanger, Child Health and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Guido Philipp Emmanuel Biele, Child Health and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Tim Korevaar, University Medical Center Rotterdam
Iris Erlund, National Institute for Health and Welfare
Petra Arohonka, National Institute for Health and Welfare

Start

01.09.2014

End

21.06.2022

Status

Concluded

Approvals

Regional committees for medical and health research ethics

Project owner/ Project manager

Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Project manager

Anne Lise Brantsæter

Published |Updated