The leading group of U.S. pediatricians say that pregnant women should take a supplement containing iodide in order to help their baby’s brain develop.
These findings were published in the journal Pediatrics.
Iodine is contracted from iodide supplements. Iodine, according to Reuters, is required to make thyroid hormones that are necessary for brain development.
“Women who are childbearing age need to pay attention to this topic as well, because about half of the pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned,” Dr. Jerome Paulson said. “Women in the early part of the pregnancy may not realize they’re pregnant.”
Most people get the iodine that they need by the consumption of table salt. However, the processed foods that are popular in America lack iodized salt.
The American Thyroid Association and the National Academy of Sciences say that pregnant women and women who breastfeed need to take in 290 micrograms of iodide each day.
According to Science World Report, women who are on strict vegan diets or women who do not eat fish may need to be tested for iodide deficiencies.
"Obviously iodine is critical to the fetal and child brain," added Dr. Loralei Thornburg, a pediatrician. "Therefore having a diet that's rich in iodine is critical."

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