Question

Nurses play a vital role in prevention of disease and promotion of health. You have been asked to teach about the healthy eating habits to prevent iron and iodine deficiency disorders to a group of pregnant mothers.

Discuss the components of your health teaching in the prevention of iron and iodine deficiency disorders.(Do not copy from the internet)

Answer 1

Health teaching for prevention of iron and iodine deficiency disorders into pregnant mothers is very important to be taught by nurses to promote knowledge by educating these mothers and spread awareness about the potential disorders. In the health teaching we shall discuss the prevention of iron and iodine deficiency disorders in the following manner:

Prevention of Iron deficiency disorder: In the teaching we must fist explain the role iron plays in the hemoglobin and RBC and affecting overall ability of the blood to supply oxygenated blood to the body and the significance of sufficient oxygen to the baby's growth and development. The next component we discuss is the common iron deficiency in pregnant mother leads to anemia. As the fetus grows the requirement of iron also grows for the mother and the baby. The lack of iron supply to the baby can lead to potential risk of low birth weight in child, premature birth, postpartum depression and in worst cases can even lead to death of the baby. So to prevent these risks the mother can be advised on diet containing healthy amount of iron rich foods and materials to maintain a healthy iron levels and avoid any iron deficiency and risk to child in pregnant mothers.

Prevention of Iodine deficiency disorder: In health promotion and health teaching to the nurse we must first include the role of thyroid hormone and healthy thyroid glands in growth development, growth and metabolism of the body. The mothers then can be educated about the role of iodine in thyroid hormone production and level of thyroid hormone required in increased amounts for a pregnant mother to supply the same for the healthy growth of the fetus. Then we add the component of iodine deficiency risks of hypothyroidism, fetal brain development, cretinism, congenital anomalies, decreased intelligence of the baby, fetal goiter, etc. Finally we can provide the diet and nutritional food groups advised for preventing iodine deficiency in pregnant mother and promotion of iodine related healthy foods and methods to prevent the iodine deficiency and ensuring a health pregnancy leading to child birth.