You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Please enable scripts and reload this page.
Skip to content
Contact us
Emergency information
Print Page
Increase Font Size
Decrease Font Size
Menu
NSW Health
Search Keywords
Search
Menu
COVID-19
COVID-19 in NSW
NSW Government - COVID-19
Guidelines and fact sheets
Register a positive rapid antigen test
Statistics and surveillance
Information for people with disability
COVID-19 vaccination in NSW
Information for the NSW community
Information for community pharmacists
Information for NSW Health immunisation providers
Public
Helpful information
Find information by health topic
Find a hospital / health service
Emergency department waiting times
Patient care
Mental health
Aboriginal health
Aged care
Disability
Transport for health
Children and families
Kids and families
Pregnancy options
Assisted reproductive technology
Save the date to vaccinate
Violence, abuse and neglect
Healthy living
Awareness and prevention
Immunisation
Oral health
Emergency preparedness
Sexual health
Ending HIV
Community sharps management
Improving your health
Healthy eating active living
Quitting smoking
Environmental health
Hepatitis B and C
Women's health
Your Room - Information about alcohol and other drugs
Professionals
For general practitioners
Infectious diseases
Immunisation
Tobacco and smoking cessation
Control guidelines
Disease notification
Child weight management resources
For health professionals
Alcohol and other drugs
Outpatient referral criteria
Nursing and midwifery
Pharmaceuticals
Private health facilities
Public health legislation
Preconception, maternity, and child and family health
Interpreting/translating and multicultural health services
Clinical ethics
Research
Open data
Search open data site
Search via topics
Medical research
NSW Health and Medical Research
Healthcare innovation portal
New health technologies
Human tissue
Population health
Epidemiology and evidence
NSW population health surveys
HealthStats NSW
Careers
For jobseekers
Search for a job
Recruitment initiatives
Training programs
Aboriginal workforce - Stepping Up
Imagine Rural
For students
Scholarships and training programs
Clinical placements
Map My Health Career
Workforce and employment
Workforce planning and culture
Remuneration and conditions
Recruitment and employment policies
Human resources - e-compendium
Medical career planning
Senior executives
Publications
Publications and resources
Fact sheets
Publications
Multilingual resources
Reports
Safety alerts
RSS feeds
Policies and procedures
Policy and procedure manuals
Policy directives, guidelines and information bulletins
Media
Media releases
NSW Health
The Hon. Ryan Park, MP
The Hon. Rose Jackson, MLC
The Hon. David Harris, MP
Social media
Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn
YouTube
About
NSW Health
Our structure
Our organisation chart
Local health districts
Government priorities
Value based healthcare
Climate risk and net zero
Regional health
Diversity Inclusion Belonging
Engaging with NSW Health
History of medical administration in NSW
Ministry of Health
Our structure
Our organisation chart
Our people
Working at the Ministry of Health
Government Information Public Access Act (GIPA)
Contact us
Ministers
The Hon. Ryan Park, MP
Profile
Media releases
The Hon. Rose Jackson, MLC
Profile
Media releases
The Hon. David Harris, MP
Profile
Media releases
Home
Kids and families
Pregnancy and the first five years
Maternal and newborn
Iodine supplementation
Maternal and newborn
Currently selected
Planning a pregnancy
Maternal and Neonatal Safety Program
Reducing stillbirth
Improving affordability and access to IVF and fertility services in NSW
Fertility Treatment Rebate Checklist
Iodine supplementation
Content 1
Background
Iodine is an essential nutrient for humans in small quantities.
Iodine is used in the body to produce thyroid hormones. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, thyroid activity and therefore iodine requirements, are increased. Thyroid hormones are important for the regulation of growth and the healthy development of the nervous system, coordination, alertness, and the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Sufficient maternal thyroid hormone is essential for the baby’s rapid brain growth which occurs in the first 1000 days of life.
Most people can obtain a good proportion of iodine through a healthy diet. Pregnant and breastfeeding women need more iodine than the average person. It is known that women in these groups have inadequate iodine levels. Since mandatory iodine fortification of bread commenced in Australia in 2009 there has been a reduction in iodine deficiency among pregnant women, however there still remains room for improvement (
Australian Government, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2016) )
Monitoring the health impacts of mandatory folic acid and iodine fortification
.
Recommendations
It is recommended that women who are considering becoming pregnant, who are pregnant or breastfeeding should consume 150 micrograms per day through supplements as well as obtaining iodine from a healthy diet
National Health and Medical Research Public Statement (2010)
Iodine Supplementation for pregnancy and breastfeeding women
.
Women with known thyroid conditions should seek advice from their medical practitioner before taking an iodine supplement
Clinical Practice Guidelines: Pregnancy Care
, 2018 Edition
.
Most foods in Australia contain only small amounts of iodine. Seafood is an excellent source, but pregnant and breastfeeding women should limit themselves to two serves of cooked seafood per week to avoid the high levels of mercury that are present in some fish. Other sources of iodine in food include bread, eggs, dairy and iodised salt
NSW Food Authority - Food safety in pregnancy
.
Resources about Iodine supplementation
Iodine supplements factsheet for consumers and health professionals
I
odine supplements poster for health services
Consumer resource for women and partners who are planning a pregnancy:
Thinking of having a baby
NSW Health
Having a baby
,
book provides useful information women and partners before and during pregnancy. It is available in 20 languages online.
NSW Health media statement (August 2017)
NSW Health encourages mothers to take iodine for baby brain development
.
Content 2
Current as at: Wednesday 14 November 2018
Contact page owner:
Maternity, Child and Family