Vegan diets may affect fetal development: study

Plant-based milks and new salts should be fortified to ensure pregnant women have enough iodine, Aussie researchers say

Women following vegan diets have significantly lower iodine levels than those who eat meat and dairy, raising concerns about future fetal development, Australian researchers say.

Those with vegan/plant-based eating patterns had urinary iodine concentration (UIC) of 44µg/L compared with meat eaters’ 64µg/L, reports a University of SA pilot study.