Prenatal vitamins lack enough iodine

Many brands of multivitamins for pregnant women may not contain all the iodine they claim, potentially putting babies at risk of poor brain development, a new study suggests. Tests on 60 brands that listed iodine as an ingredient on their labels found many fell short of the stated amount. The study was done by scientists at the Boston University Iodine Research Laboratory. Results were reported in a letter published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine. Pregnant and nursing women need 220 to 290 micrograms of iodine a day, according to the Institute of Medicine. Expecting mothers who don't get enough can put their babies at greater risk of mental retardation and growth, hearing and speech problems. The American Thyroid Association recommends that pregnant women take a daily dose of prenatal multivitamins containing 150 micrograms of iodine, which is needed for proper thyroid function.

There is no law requiring vitamin makers to add iodine to prenatal multivitamins, which are available by prescription or bought over-the-counter as dietary supplements. Boston University scientists last year looked at 223 prenatal multivitamins available by prescription or sold over-the-counter in the United States. About half of them — 114 — listed iodine on their labels. Prescription prenatal vitamins face more stringent government scrutiny than their supplement counterparts, which do not have to be proven safe before they are sold. However, researchers found problems with both types when they tested iodine levels in 60 prescription and over-the-counter prenatal multivitamins.

Based on the study's findings, pregnant women should take prenatal multivitamins that contain potassium iodide instead of kelp, said Dr. Elizabeth Pearce, one of the researchers. Dr. Alex Stagnaro-Green, who specializes in pregnancy thyroid problems at the Touro University College of Medicine in New Jersey, said the findings point out a problem in vitamin marketing and urged the Food and Drug Administration to make iodine a mandatory ingredient in all prenatal multivitamins.

Bonnie - this is another reason why I only recommend the Metagenics Fem Prenatal and Wellness Essentials for Pregnancy. So many pregnancy multis are lacking in one or more nutrients. The two Metagenics products contain the ideal amount of every nutrient, including potassium iodide (175 mcg).