IDD are preventable!!!

Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) being one of the most preventable disorders can be eliminated through an early screening of hypothyroidic mothers. Maternal hypothyroidism is generally observed in the first trimester and the last trimester phases of pregnancy. This is majorly due to transportation of thyroid hormones from the mother to the feotus. This can generally happen due to insufficiency of thyroid hormones in mothers.

A thyroid screening of all mothers should be carried out in the first trimester itself to prevent the hypothyroidic situations. This would ensure availability of these hormones for the mother and baby as per their requirements. Through consumption of iodized salt on an average of 150 ug of iodine is available to all populations. For a pregnant mother, the recommended levels are 250 ug. The requirement for each mother would vary according to their own physiological status. Hence the screening would help to incorporate consumption of more iodine rich foods. The option is to avail thyroxine hormone therapy under proper guidance of a medical practitioner. Once this situation is stabilised, it is expected that even after feutal transmissions, enough hormones will be available for maternal circulation, ensuring both baby and the mother to have enough iodine in their systems.

In India, currently we do not have this program of thyroid screening as a preventable measure for elimination of IDD. My recommendations to all the participatory institutions, health systems of govt., etc. is that it is time to include this program at one of our policy-level agendas and bring it to the national front for its implementation.