Abstract:
This study was carried out to find the maternal urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and the knowledge
and practice of mothers on iodized salt at third trimester in Jaffna district of Sri Lanka. Four hundred
and seventy seven pregnant mothers were randomly selected from six Medical Officers of Health (MOH)
divisions among the twelve in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka. Maternal urinary iodide level and the knowledge
and practice of iodized salt were assessed. Among the 477 pregnant mothers mean age, weight, height
and gestational period were 28(±5) years, 63 (±11) kg, 154 (±6) cm and 39(±1) weeks respectively.
Mothers those who had no formal education, grade 1-5, grades 6-11,Grade 1213 and degree & above
were 0.2 (n=1), 9.6 (n=46), 58.9 (n=281), 23.9 (n=114) and 7.3% (n=35) respectively. Maternal median
UIC was 140.0 µg/L and ranged from 36.0 to 644.0 µg/L with the inter quartile range (IQR) was 126.0
to 268.0 µg/L. Of the total mothers, 65.1% (n=311) had UIC less than 150.0 µg/L which indicates
prevalence of iodine deficiency among the study subjects in Jaffna District was 65.1 % according to the
World Health Organization recommendation. Also, 22.7% (n=109) and 11.7% (n=57) had adequate (150
– 250 µg/L) and excess (greater than 250.0 µg/L) level of iodine excretion in their urine respectively.
Among the 477 mothers, 82.5 (n=393), 2.5 (n=12) and 15.0 % (n=72) used iodized salt, iodized and
normal salt and the unaware of iodized salt respectively. Further, 15.5 (n=74), 0.8 (n=4), 30.2(n=144)
and 53.5% (n=255) of the mothers, do not know about iodized salt & iodine deficiency disorders (IDD),
know about IDD, know about iodized salt and know about the IDD & iodized salt respectively. Of the
total mothers 55.9 (n=267), 15.1 (n=72) and 14.1 % (n=67) had the knowledge on goiter, mental and
growth retardation respectively. Among the iodine deficient mothers (UIC <150.0 µg/L), 74.0 % (n=231)
had educational level below GCE (O/L) and 64.0 % (n=199) of iodine deficient mothers added iodized
salt before cooking and rest of them added it after cooking by all different methods. Further, 66.0 (n
=205), 21 (n=65) and 13 % (n=41) of iodine deficient pregnant mothers added iodized salt directly,
mixed with water and washed with water for cooking respectively. Based on these findings, this study indicates
that 65.1 % of pregnant mothers in Jaffna district had iodine excretion in their urine below the
accepted level and maternal iodine deficiency is mainly associated with their educational level and
way of iodized salt adding practice.
