ICCIDD board member Dr. Teofilo San Luis was the quoted expert in a story, "Iodine deficiency affects babies, says expert" airing today on Manila's ABS-CBN News urging pregnant women to consume adequate iodine to ensure their new babies have fully-developed brains.

"Dr. Teofilo San Luis, the country representative and director of International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders, said a pregnant woman who does not have enough iodine in her body might affect the development of her baby’s brain.

“'The critical period is the first five months of pregnancy. That's the time when the brain part is being developed. And so if there is iodine deficiency in the first five months, all of these brain parts become defective so to speak,' San Luis told “Monings@ANC” recently.

"He added: 'If there is an [iodine] deficiency during pregnancy, it translates into mental retardation for the child.'

"He stressed that pregnant women, especially in the early part of their pregnancy, should observe whether their thyroid gland is getting bigger, an indication of deficiency in iodine."