What is iodine and why do mothers-to-be need it?

Dr Sarah Bath explains why the nutrient iodine is important during pregnancy and how dairy products and fish can aid its intake.

Mild iodine deficiency during pregnancy could be dimming the intellect of some babies born in the UK, say researchers.

Their study of 1,000 families, published in the Lancet, showed lower IQs and reading scores in primary school pupils whose mother had had too little iodine while pregnant.

Iodine is essential for the development of the brain as it is needed to build some of the body's hormones. A severe deficiency is the leading cause of preventable brain damage in the world.

Advice has been published on the on the British Dietetic Association website.

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