Go Beyond the Bare Minimums: How to Choose a Prenatal

Why Most Prenatal Vitamins Are Not Enough for Modern Motherhood

Many women feel exhausted and depleted during preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum, even when they are taking a prenatal vitamin. These symptoms are often brushed off as "normal" parts of motherhood (eye roll), but they are frequently signs of nutritional depletion.

Women today face higher nutritional demands paired with lifestyles and diets that do not always support replenishment. Being depleted is NOT A PERSONAL FAILURE!!! It is a physiological response to increased nutrient needs that are often under-supported.

Why Prenatals Often Miss the Mark

Prenatal vitamins are meant to fill nutritional gaps, but research shows they often fall short. Data suggests that up to 95% of women experience some level of nutrient depletion, even while supplementing.

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data shows that women who take supplements are still commonly low in nutrients like vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin B6, choline, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc. These nutrients are foundational for hormone balance, nervous system function, immune health, and fetal brain development.

The Problem With RDAs and Standard Prenatals

Most prenatal vitamins are formulated around Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs), which are designed to prevent deficiency, not to support optimal health or recovery. Pregnant and breastfeeding women have historically been excluded from much of the research used to establish these guidelines. Estimates suggest exclusion in up to 83% of studies!!!

As a result, many prenatals provide amounts that are too low to meaningfully restore nutrient stores during high-demand seasons, when women need them the most.

What a Repletion-Focused Prenatal Looks Like

Thankfully, many prenatals are catching onto this and prioritizing nutrient repletion (not just trying to prevent deficiencies).

For example, I take Needed's Prenatal Multi which includes substantially higher levels of nutrients compared to many standard prenatals, including:

• Needed Prenatal Multi Essentials includes 12x more Choline than leading prenatals

• Needed Prenatal Multi Essentials includes 2x more Vitamin A than leading prenatals

• Needed Prenatal Multi Essentials includes 31x more Vitamin B12 than leading prenatals

• Needed Prenatal Multi Essentials includes 4x more Vitamin D than leading prenatals

• Needed Prenatal Multi Essentials includes 20x more Vitamin B6 than leading prenatals

• Needed Prenatal Multi Essentials includes 3x more Zinc than leading prenatals

• Leading prenatals do not contain Selenium. Needed Prenatal Multi Essentials provides 3x more the outdated Recommended Dietary Allowance.

• Leading prenatals do not contain Chromium. Needed Prenatal Multi Essentials provides 4x the outdated Recommended Dietary Allowances.

  
  

It also includes nutrients often underdosed or omitted entirely, such as choline and vitamin B12, which are essential for brain development and nervous system function.

I took a different prenatal during my first pregnancy before I knew to look for a more comprehensive prenatal.

What to Look for in a Prenatal Vitamin

When choosing a prenatal, look for:

• No iron - this should be kept separate, and added in based on lab work if needed

• No Omega-3 - this should also be taken separately to reduce oxidation, and more optimal dosing

• Dosing BEYOND bare minimum RDAs **see minimum RDAs below

• Bioavailable nutrient forms (ie methylated folate vs folic acid)

• Inclusion of key nutrients like choline, vitamin D, selenium, zinc, and B12

• Contains folate (NOT folic acid)

• Third-party testing for quality and purity

• A format you can realistically take every day (this will look different for everyone)

Below is the NIH's Recommended Dietary Allowances and Adequate Intakes During Pregnancy. Compare your prenatal to this list. If it meets it exactly or only slightly exceeds, and you're feeling symptoms of exhaustion and depletion (and have checked of all other check marks with your provider), it may be time to reevaluate your prenatal.

Needed Prenatal Multi Essentials provides 8x more nutrition than leading prenatals.

Leading prenatals fall short of outdated Recommended Dietary Allowances for key nutrients.*

NIH's Recommended Dietary Allowances and Adequate Intakes During Pregnancy

The Prenatal I Take

As mentioned above, I take Needed's Prenatal Multi. This is their 3 capsule option (they also have an 8 capsule and powdered option). However, for me, the 3 capsule format is what I can realistically take every day when pregnant.

Why I Love Needed:

• Backed by over 15,000 practitioners

• Every batch third-party tested for quality and purity

• Clean Label Project Purity Award certified

• Certified Pesticide Free

• Climate Neutral Certified

• Certified B Corporation

• Member of 1% for the Planet

Disclaimers:

• This post is sponsored by Needed, a brand I genuinely recommend and personally use. 

• These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. 

*Based on Recommended Dietary Allowances, compared to leading prenatals as determined by IRI sales data as of December, 2025.