Balgarianovinite.com Nearly every second pregnant woman and 13% of children in Bulgaria suffer from iodine deficiency, endocrinologist and Chair of the Bulgarian Thyroid and Parathyroid Association Rusanka Kovacheva told journalists on Tuesday. The Bulgarian Thyroid and Parathyroid Association was holding a press conference to mark International Thyroid Awareness Week.
According to her, the trend is linked to the growing use of non-iodized salts, such as Himalayan salt, in family diets. Thyroid disorders are three to four times more common among women, she added.
The International Thyroid Awareness Week is being observed from May 25 to 31 under the slogan “The Missing Piece”.
Kovacheva noted that thyroid diseases become more common with age. Women planning a pregnancy or already pregnant should have their thyroid function tested, both for their own health and for the development of the fetus, she said. Improper thyroid function during pregnancy can have serious consequences for fetal development, she warned.
Children should also be screened for thyroid disorders, especially if they have relatives with similar conditions, Kovacheva added.
The most common symptoms of thyroid dysfunction include excessive sweating, hair loss, changes in appetite and weight, sleep disorders and heart palpitations.
Nutrition is among the key factors for thyroid health, with iodine, selenium, zinc, iron and vitamin D being particularly important micronutrients, she said.
Chair of the Bulgarian Society of Endocrinology Alexander Shinkov said iodine deficiency remains a problem despite the fact that table salt in Bulgaria is iodized.
“People increasingly use non-iodized salt, and if this trend continues, iodine deficiency diseases will increase and set the country back by decades,” Shinkov said.
He also warned against excessive iodine intake, noting that too much iodine can also harm health.
Commenting on food supplements, Shinkov said they may help compensate for certain deficiencies but cannot cure thyroid diseases.
“Self-medication is the shortest path to the doctor,” he added. Nearly Every Second Pregnant Woman in Bulgaria, 13% of Children Suffer from Iodine Deficiency, Endocrinologists Say 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-05-26 12:12:07 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law