The Importance of Iodine in Prenatal Vitamins
October 14, 2015
The U.S. Council for Responsible Nutrition has released new guidelines recommending the incorporation of at least 150 mcg of Iodine into daily multivitamin/mineral supplements intended for pregnant and lactating women.1
Iodine is a micronutrient required for normal thyroid function. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends 150 mcg of iodine for pregnant and lactating women.2 Dietary sources, like iodized salt, dairy products, some breads and seafood help women meet their Iodine daily value goals. But in recent years, the removal of iodized salt from bread, milk and other products, the increased use of kosher and sea salts that don’t contain Iodine, and the adoption of vegetarian and vegan diets, have all led to a worrying reduction in dietary Iodine consumption.3
Pregnant and lactating women need more Iodine than the average adult because of their increased thyroid-hormone production, renal losses and fetal Iodine requirements.1 Appropriate levels of iodine in the diet help promote healthy neural formation and function in the fetus, and for both mother and child, improved thyroid function and healthier pregnancies. Deficiency during pregnancy has been associated with maternal and fetal goiter, cretinism, intellectual impairment, neonatal hypothyroidism and increased pregnancy loss and mortality.1
Prenatal Vitamins with Iodine
In recognizing the importance of Iodine in prenatal vitamins, the Prenate® Vitamin Family has always included Iodine in a number of our trusted brands, including:
- Prenate Mini® – Small, easy-to-swallow softgel with complete prenatal nutrition support, including 350 mg of DHA
- Prenate® Pixie – Robust Rx prenatal vitamin with 11 concentrated nutrients, including DHA in a tiny softgel
- Prenate® Enhance – Advanced prenatal softgel vitamin with 400 mg DHA – the highest level among leading Rx brands − plus highly absorbable forms of folate, 1,000 IU vitamin D3, Formical® calcium and more
- Prenate® Elite – Prenatal vitamin containing 17 vitamins and minerals, including 1 mg folate, calcium, vitamin D3 and iron
- Prenate® Essential – Prenatal vitamin containing 13 vitamins and minerals, including 300 mg DHA, 40 mg of EPA, 1 mg folate, calcium, vitamin D3 and Iron
All Prenate® prescription prenatal vitamins can help cover nutritional gaps in diet, and are gluten and lactose free. The Prenate® Vitamin Family offers nutritional support to help meet the specific needs of babies and mothers during every stage of pregnancy and after delivery. Ask your doctor if the Prenate® Vitamin Family is right for you. Click here to learn more about the Prenate® Vitamin Family.