ANTENATAL IODINE DEFICIENCY IN THE FAR EAST - RISK FACTOR FOR NEONATAL PATHOLOGY
Pregnancy associated with iodine deficiency is a threatening factor resulting in the development and progression of goiter in women and fetal pathology. The level of urinary iodine excretion in healthy women at the end of physiological pregnancy, early postpartum period and in newborns living in the Far East was found to be inadequate. Iodine deficiency is detected in 8 out of 9 surveyed areas, mild iodine deficiency is diagnosed in the majority of healthy infants, whereas maternal urinary iodine excretion rates significantly lower, sometimes in several times. Without individual iodine prophylaxis urinary iodine deficiency at the end of physiological pregnancy becomes moderately severe. The level of iodine in breast milk in normal and preterm labor was studied. In iodine deficiency, the iodine in breast milk is below the optimal level as well as in normal term and preterm delivery. Physiological doses of drugs containing iodine taken by women at any stage of gestation normalize the iodine level in breast milk that is particularly important under conditions of iodine deficiency.