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Warning to future mothers! Iodine deficiency during pregnancy can cause mental retardation babies

Deficiency of iodine in the body during pregnancy can cause mental retardation in the case of infants, according to a study in the UK and published in the journal The Lancet.

Even a minor deficiency of iodine in the body can affect the fetus, say the authors of the study, according dailymail.co.uk.

UK experts appeal to public health authorities to add iodine to salt - as already happens in many countries, or recommend folic acid supplements since the first stage of pregnancy.

The study is the latest in the series who warns that there are a large number of pregnant young women and threatening the future health of their children because they have a balanced diet and do not take, if necessary, supplement with vitamins and minerals.

The study involved more than 700 teenagers from 14 to 15 years in nine schools in the UK, which have taken urine samples. Following medical tests established that two thirds of the volunteers had an iodine deficiency. Teenagers suffering from a significant deficit of iodine, which could adversely affect the health of future generations, say British experts.

Iodine deficiency occurs, among others, due to lower consumption of milk recorded in recent years.

British population suffers from a general level of iodine deficiency, according to this study.

According to Dr Mark Vanderpump, who led the study, iodine deficiency during pregnancy affects the child's cognitive functions, and a moderate to severe iodine deficiency at the population level reduces IQ by 10-15 points.

The addition of this nutrient in salt seems to be the cheapest effective method of controlling iodine deficiency, the study authors conclude. 

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