Why I Recommend Needed Prenatal Multi (And Why RDAs Aren’t Enough Anymore)
When patients ask me what prenatal vitamin to take, I don’t hesitate.
Not because there aren’t a lot of options on the shelf… in my opinion, there are too many. But because after over a decade in women’s health, thousands of labs reviewed, and walking alongside women through preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum, I’ve seen one theme over and over again: nutrient depletion is real, and most prenatals simply aren’t cutting it.
That’s why Needed Prenatal Multi is the only prenatal we recommend in our practice.
(And yes… I personally use it, too.)
Quick disclaimer: About five years ago, I made the decision to go work for Needed internally, right as the brand was beginning to find its footing. At that point in my own journey—both personally and professionally—I was deeply protective of women’s health and honestly pretty skeptical of the supplement industry as a whole. Being inside Needed changed that. I got a front-row seat to how much thought, care, and research went into every single decision… from nutrient forms and dosing, to sourcing, testing, and the long conversations about what women actually need during pregnancy and postpartum. Watching that process unfold, and seeing how seriously they took the responsibility of supporting mothers, sealed the deal for me in a way no marketing ever could. It wasn’t just that the products were exceptional, it was the integrity behind them. That experience is a huge part of why I still recommend Needed so confidently today, long after my time on the inside, and why their prenatal remains the only one we trust in our practice.
The Problem With “Standard” Prenatals
Most prenatals are formulated to meet Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs); numbers that were designed to prevent deficiency, not support optimal health during the most nutrient-intensive seasons of a woman’s life.
Here’s the part that often surprises people:
RDAs are largely based on outdated research, and pregnant and breastfeeding women were excluded from the majority of studies used to create them. That means the standards many prenatals rely on don’t reflect the real-world demands of preconception, pregnancy, or postpartum. Which is wild because they are created for those in the preconception, pregnancy and postpartum seasons of life.
In practice, this looks like women doing “everything right”, like taking a prenatal daily, and still experiencing occasional fatigue, brain fog, hair loss, mood changes, and labs that reflect depleted vitamin D, choline, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and more.
Why Optimal Dosing Matters
Pregnancy increases the demand for nutrients across the board. Supporting normal hormone production, healthy blood volume expansion, and fetal brain and neural development requires more than bare minimums—it requires thoughtfully selected forms and dosages that are actually usable by the body.
This is where Needed Prenatal Multi stands apart.
Needed formulates based on clinical research and real-world depletion patterns, not outdated checkboxes. Their prenatal provides active, bioavailable nutrient forms and clinically studied dosages designed to support women through the full continuum of motherhood from preconception through pregnancy and beyond.
Why I Recommend Needed Prenatal Multi to My Patients
When patients ask me what prenatal vitamin to take, I recommend Needed Prenatal Multi because it provides methylated folate (not folic acid), active nutrient forms for better absorption, and clinically studied dosages of vitamin D3, choline, and more nutrients that support neural tube development, maternal health, and fetal brain growth throughout pregnancy.
Here’s what I appreciate most as a practitioner and nurse:
Methylated folate, rather than folic acid, which matters for a large percentage of women with reduced folate conversion capacity
Clinically informed vitamin D3 dosing, rather than token amounts
Meaningful choline levels, a nutrient many prenatals barely include despite its role in fetal brain development and the RDA of 400mg isn’t enough
Active + Methylated B vitamin forms that are better absorbed and utilized
No iron or omega-3s included, allowing for individualized supplementation based on labs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach
The 3-capsule Prenatal Multi option is especially helpful for women who want robust nutrition without overwhelming pill counts or powders.
A Practitioner’s Perspective: This Is About Repletion, Not “Adequacy”
One of the reasons I respect Needed so deeply is that their philosophy aligns with how we practice: supporting nutrient repletion, not just adequacy. I’m a firm believer that preconception and pregnancy aren’t seasons to just be getting by with the bare minimum. In fact, leading prenatals dose even below outdated Recommended Dietary Allowances for most nutrients.*
Needed Prenatal Multi Essentials provides 8x more nutrition than leading prenatals.**
Even national health data shows that women often remain deficient in key nutrients despite supplement use. Needed acknowledges that reality instead of ignoring it and formulates accordingly.
This is also why over 15,000 practitioners recommend Needed. Every batch is third-party tested with access to those reports, and Needed is deeply transparent about sourcing, dosing, and quality standards. That matters to me and it matters to the women trusting us with their care.
Choosing a Prenatal Isn’t About Trends
Choosing a prenatal isn’t about what’s popular, aesthetic, or easy to swallow. There are so many brands that look pretty and sell well online but ultimately, aren’t supporting the most important seasons where intentional dosing and formulation respect the physiological demands of pregnancy and the modern reality of nutrient depletion.
Needed’s Prenatal Multi Essentials was designed with exactly that in mind.
If you’re looking for a prenatal that goes beyond outdated standards and actually reflects what women need today, Needed Prenatal Multi is the option I trust, for our patients, our team and myself.
You can learn more about it here:
https://thisisneeded.com/products/prenatal-multi-essentials
Disclaimers:
This post is sponsored by Needed, a brand our practice genuinely recommends to our patients and uses personally.
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 the total daily dosage of nutrients provided compared to leading prenatals as determined by IRI sales data as of December, 2025.