Investigating the iodine nourishment status of women of child-bearing age in the high risk region of iodine deficiency disorders in Qinghai Province in 2007

Objective: To investigate the iodine nourishment in women of child-bearing age in high risk region of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) in Qinghai Province. Methods: According to The Notice to launch a Reinforced Survey on IDD in High Risk Region issued by The Ministry of Public Health, 17 counties in 6 districts were selected as investigated area in Qinghai Province in 2007, using two stage cluster sampling and combining The National IDD Preliminary Surveillance Scheme, 30 women aged from 18 to 40 years were selected in each village, 1 or 2 villages in each town, 3 to 5 towns in each county, who were divided into newly wedding, pregnant, lactation and other women of child-bearing age. Iodine concentration in urine was detected by the method of As 3+-Ce4- catalytic spectrophotometry. Results: One thousand six hundreds and four urine iodine samples were analyzed. The median was 93.3 μg/L, 52.1%(836/1604), 31.8%(510/1604) and 12.4%(199/1604) was lower than 100,50 and 20 μg/L, respectively. It was 70.5%(527/747) and 43.0%(128/298) of women in Yushu and Haixi that had a urinary iodine lower than 100 μg/L, respectively, while it was 50% of women in the 6 districts, to be specific, 88.3%(91/103) in Nangqian, 83.8%(62/74) in Zaduo and 70.7%(118/167) in Zhiduo Counties respectively. The median of urinary iodine in women who were not lactating and not pregnant was only 88.6 μg/L, of whom 53.9% (763/1415) lower than 100 μg/L. Conclusions: The women of reproductive age in high risk region of IDD are deficient of iodine in Qinghai Province.