Low Maternal Iodine Status in Early Pregnancy Is Associated with Cognitive and Language Delays at 24 Months in Non-Users of Nutritional Supplements

Background: Severe maternal iodine deficiency has profound consequences for the developing brain; however, the impact of mild to moderate deficiency is less clear, and findings from observational studies have been mixed. Aim: The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between maternal i...

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Main Authors: Áine Hennessy, Lisa Kelliher, Yvonne O’Callaghan, Jillian Brown, Deirdre Murray, Mairead Kiely
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-12-01
Series:Proceedings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/91/1/108
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author Áine Hennessy
Lisa Kelliher
Yvonne O’Callaghan
Jillian Brown
Deirdre Murray
Mairead Kiely
author_facet Áine Hennessy
Lisa Kelliher
Yvonne O’Callaghan
Jillian Brown
Deirdre Murray
Mairead Kiely
author_sort Áine Hennessy
collection DOAJ
description Background: Severe maternal iodine deficiency has profound consequences for the developing brain; however, the impact of mild to moderate deficiency is less clear, and findings from observational studies have been mixed. Aim: The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between maternal iodine status in early pregnancy and infant neurological development in an Irish maternal–infant cohort. Methods: Maternal–infant dyads of the Improved Pregnancy Outcomes by Early Detection (IMPROvED) and the Cork Nutrition and Development (COMBINE) cohorts (<i>n</i> 456) were followed during pregnancy and from birth to 2 years of age. Participants completed detailed a clinical and questionnaire-based assessments (including Bayley’s Scale of Infant Development (BSID-III) at 24 months; <i>n</i> 295). Maternal urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was quantified at 15 weeks of gestation by the Sandell–Kolthoff (S-K) method, and urinary creatinine (Cr) was quantified by the Jaffe rate method using the RX Monaco Clinical Chemistry Analyser (Randox Laboratories Ltd.). Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Version 27 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results: The median (IQR) maternal age at delivery was 32 (5) years, and the median (IQR) BMI at 15 weeks of gestation was 25.1 (5.0) kg/m<sup>2</sup>. Three-quarters completed third-level education, 95% were in a relationship and 7% were smokers. Median (IQR) UIC was 118 (132) µg/L, and 65% had UIC < 150 µg/L. At 24 months, median (IQR) cognitive, language and motor composite scores were 105 (15), 103 (20) and 103 (14), respectively. Cognitive, language and motor developmental delay was indicated in 6.0, 7.8 and 0.4% of children, respectively. Though a slightly higher prevalence of developmental language delay was observed among infants of mothers with UI:Cr < 150 µg/g for language (11 versus 6%) and a combined cognitive/language outcome (10 versus 4%), when adjusted for education, marital status, gestational age and birthweight, UI:Cr was not associated with language delay (aOR (95% CI): 1.7 (0.6, 4.7)). Among non-users of iodine supplements (29% of sample; median (IQR) UIC: 84 (96) µg/L; 75% < 150 µg/L), for every 10 µg/L increase in UIC, we observed a 23% and 19% reduction in odds of cognitive and language delay, respectively (aOR (95% CI): 0.77 (0.71, 0.97), <i>p</i> = 0.029; 0.81 (0.66, 0.99), <i>p</i> = 0.035). Our findings highlight the importance of sufficient iodine status in early pregnancy.
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spelling doaj-art-7c35bae3ce9e4bbcaa9c7fb3d85f6e6f2025-08-20T03:44:04ZengMDPI AGProceedings2504-39002023-12-0191110810.3390/proceedings2023091108Low Maternal Iodine Status in Early Pregnancy Is Associated with Cognitive and Language Delays at 24 Months in Non-Users of Nutritional SupplementsÁine Hennessy0Lisa Kelliher1Yvonne O’Callaghan2Jillian Brown3Deirdre Murray4Mairead Kiely5School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, IrelandSchool of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, IrelandSchool of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, IrelandSchool of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, IrelandINFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, T12 Y337 Cork, IrelandSchool of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, IrelandBackground: Severe maternal iodine deficiency has profound consequences for the developing brain; however, the impact of mild to moderate deficiency is less clear, and findings from observational studies have been mixed. Aim: The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between maternal iodine status in early pregnancy and infant neurological development in an Irish maternal–infant cohort. Methods: Maternal–infant dyads of the Improved Pregnancy Outcomes by Early Detection (IMPROvED) and the Cork Nutrition and Development (COMBINE) cohorts (<i>n</i> 456) were followed during pregnancy and from birth to 2 years of age. Participants completed detailed a clinical and questionnaire-based assessments (including Bayley’s Scale of Infant Development (BSID-III) at 24 months; <i>n</i> 295). Maternal urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was quantified at 15 weeks of gestation by the Sandell–Kolthoff (S-K) method, and urinary creatinine (Cr) was quantified by the Jaffe rate method using the RX Monaco Clinical Chemistry Analyser (Randox Laboratories Ltd.). Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Version 27 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results: The median (IQR) maternal age at delivery was 32 (5) years, and the median (IQR) BMI at 15 weeks of gestation was 25.1 (5.0) kg/m<sup>2</sup>. Three-quarters completed third-level education, 95% were in a relationship and 7% were smokers. Median (IQR) UIC was 118 (132) µg/L, and 65% had UIC < 150 µg/L. At 24 months, median (IQR) cognitive, language and motor composite scores were 105 (15), 103 (20) and 103 (14), respectively. Cognitive, language and motor developmental delay was indicated in 6.0, 7.8 and 0.4% of children, respectively. Though a slightly higher prevalence of developmental language delay was observed among infants of mothers with UI:Cr < 150 µg/g for language (11 versus 6%) and a combined cognitive/language outcome (10 versus 4%), when adjusted for education, marital status, gestational age and birthweight, UI:Cr was not associated with language delay (aOR (95% CI): 1.7 (0.6, 4.7)). Among non-users of iodine supplements (29% of sample; median (IQR) UIC: 84 (96) µg/L; 75% < 150 µg/L), for every 10 µg/L increase in UIC, we observed a 23% and 19% reduction in odds of cognitive and language delay, respectively (aOR (95% CI): 0.77 (0.71, 0.97), <i>p</i> = 0.029; 0.81 (0.66, 0.99), <i>p</i> = 0.035). Our findings highlight the importance of sufficient iodine status in early pregnancy.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/91/1/108maternal iodine statusinfant neurodevelopmentpregnancy
spellingShingle Áine Hennessy
Lisa Kelliher
Yvonne O’Callaghan
Jillian Brown
Deirdre Murray
Mairead Kiely
Low Maternal Iodine Status in Early Pregnancy Is Associated with Cognitive and Language Delays at 24 Months in Non-Users of Nutritional Supplements
Proceedings
maternal iodine status
infant neurodevelopment
pregnancy
title Low Maternal Iodine Status in Early Pregnancy Is Associated with Cognitive and Language Delays at 24 Months in Non-Users of Nutritional Supplements
title_full Low Maternal Iodine Status in Early Pregnancy Is Associated with Cognitive and Language Delays at 24 Months in Non-Users of Nutritional Supplements
title_fullStr Low Maternal Iodine Status in Early Pregnancy Is Associated with Cognitive and Language Delays at 24 Months in Non-Users of Nutritional Supplements
title_full_unstemmed Low Maternal Iodine Status in Early Pregnancy Is Associated with Cognitive and Language Delays at 24 Months in Non-Users of Nutritional Supplements
title_short Low Maternal Iodine Status in Early Pregnancy Is Associated with Cognitive and Language Delays at 24 Months in Non-Users of Nutritional Supplements
title_sort low maternal iodine status in early pregnancy is associated with cognitive and language delays at 24 months in non users of nutritional supplements
topic maternal iodine status
infant neurodevelopment
pregnancy
url https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/91/1/108
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