The triad-iodine deficiency, hyperlipidaemia, high coronary risk- in a 'maternal-neonate' population of rural Africa.

In order to see the pattern of changes in differential serum lipid and lipoprotein fractions as a risk marker of coronary complication in paired 'maternal-neonate' blood samples in an iodine deficient zone, 26 pregnant women and their corresponding new born infants at term delivery from the iodine deficient Bassa region of Plateau state, Nigeria were assessed and the results were compared with those seen in a similar 44 group of women and their newborns assessed in non lodine deficient region of Jos. The serum thyroid function and lipid and lipoprotein profiles were determined by 'ELISA' and 'enzymatic' methods respectively. Urinary iodide excretion level was also measured in 14 pregnant women in Bassa, 23 pregnant women in Jos and 16 non pregnant control from Jos.

Impact of iodine deficiency on thyroid function in pregnant African women - A possible factor in the genesis of 'small for dates' babies.

The effect of iodine deficiency (ID) on thyroid function in African women during pregnancy and postnatal period was examined, for which very limited information is available. Serum T(4), T(3), TSH, TBG, thyroxine binding capacity (TBK), free thyroxine index (FT(4)I=T(4)/TBK) and T(4)/TBG were determined by ELISA technique in 32 pregnant women (resident of Plateau state, Nigeria- an ID zone) through pregnancy upto term delivery, and in 5 women up to 6 weeks post delivery. Urinary iodide level was measured at delivery to determine the degree of iodine deficiency.