Endemic goiter in pregnant women: utility of the simplified classification of thyroid size by palpation and urinary iodine as screening tests.

Objective: To validate urinary iodine (I) excretion and the simplified classification of goiter by palpation, comparing them with ultrasound of the thyroid gland as the gold standard, to identify endemic goiter in pregnant women.

Population And Setting: 300 pregnant women identified in referral hospitals, in three geographic regions.

Methods: Two endocrinologists, previously trained, evaluated thyroid size by palpation and by ultrasound.