Iodine status of pregnant women residing in urban slums in Delhi

Abstract

Objectives: The present study was carried out to determine the iodine nutrition status among pregnant women in slums of West Delhi. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among the third-trimester pregnant women residing in urban slums of West Delhi. Urinary iodine concentration was estimated using ammonium persulfate method, and salt iodine was estimated using iodometric titration. Results: Of the total 180 pregnant women, 70.6% were consuming adequately iodized salt (iodine levels ≥15 ppm). Median urinary iodine level for the pregnant women was 147.5 μg/L indicating iodine deficiency among this group. A total of 51.1% of women had urinary iodine levels <150 μg/L. Conclusion: Pregnant women belonging to slum community from Delhi have a suboptimal iodine status. Further, the proportion of women consuming iodized salt is less than the national average indicating the need to educate these women about the importance of iodine during pregnancy.