Blood levels of folate an important vitamin B complex group in young women are falling, which might lead to increased birth defects. The health officials are assuming low carb diets or the popularity of unfortified whole-grain breads to be responsible for it. Long before, scholars postulated that folate deficiencies lead the occurrence of serious birth defects of the spine and brain, known as neural tube defects. Therefore, the government had recommended women to consume cereals and breads fortified with folic acid to avert birth defects. By the late 1990s, the fortification campaigns were succeeding: Folate levels increased, and neural tube defects dropped by as many as 1,000 a year. However, researchers have discovered that lately there has been decrease in folate level among women. The factors given for such a decline were escalating obesity rates and diet trends, which are particularly low carb. Thus, vitamins and supplements are recommended that would fulfill daily dose of 400 micrograms of folic acid. In addition, foods especially breads, cereals and other products containing enriched flour must be consumed.
