My husband and I recently decided that we are ready to have another baby.
Immediately, I knew I wanted to take a comprehensive prenatal multivitamin to support my body and (soon-to-be!) growing baby. I had heard about the benefits of taking a prenatal multivitamin - they ensure your body is getting the vitamins and minerals it needs for a healthy pregnancy.
I did my research and narrowed down my options to two of today’s most popular and science-backed brands: Needed Prenatal and Ritual Prenatal. After comparing them side by side, there was a clear difference between the two in several ways that matter.
Here’s what I discovered along the way...🧐
If you want the most comprehensive multivitamin to cover any nutritional gaps… Needed
As we all know, prenatal nutrition is vital and not at all a case of “less is more.” Although Ritual contains 12 key nutrients for pregnancy, Needed contains nearly double that amount. Altogether, Needed has 23 different key vitamins and minerals along with antioxidants.
Unlike Needed, Ritual doesn't include vitamins A, C, and B6 as well as zinc and selenium. All of these vitamins and minerals are integral to the health and well being of both mom and baby.
While I always try to get the bulk of my required nutrients from food, Needed serves as a form of nutritional insurance, which is a major relief when you’re too tired from chasing a toddler all day to cook a balanced meal, or too nauseated to even consider eating anything other than pasta.
For thoughtful formulations designed to increase efficacy… Needed
Ritual and Needed are evenly matched when it comes to dosages for a few nutrients, like vitamin D3 and folate, but when it comes to Needed blows Ritual out of the water for many others–especially those that Ritual doesn’t even include!
Here's the breakdown:
Needed's nutrient makeup is formulated with the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for pregnancy:
- 150 mg of choline
- 100 mg of magnesium
- 150 mcg of vitamin B12
On the other hand, Ritual only contains:
- 55 mg of choline
- 32 mg of magnesium
- 8 mcg of vitamin B12
Moreover, Needed is very careful about separating certain nutrients to preserve their quality, as some components can degrade each other prematurely if bundled too closely together. And because not every woman needs to supplement with iron during her pregnancy, Needed offers iron as an add-on instead ($16.99 with Subscribe & Save).
If you want flexible tiered subscription options… Needed
Balancing cost and value is always a big factor for me when deciding between two products, and this is where the Prenatal Monthly Essentials really shine: they’re more nutrient dense AND affordable than Ritual.
With a new baby comes a lot more expenses, so saving money before he or she even arrives matters quite a lot to my little family!
Ritual and Needed both cost $39 for a one-time purchase, but Needed offers 10%, 15%, and 25%, and 30% off for its monthly, 3-month, 6-month, and 9-month long subscriptions respectively, with a lowest possible price of $27.99. Ritual does not offer tiered discounts for subscribers.
Prenatals are recommended while trying to conceive, throughout your pregnancy, and for several months after (especially if you plan to breastfeed), so a monthly subscription is a no-brainer.
If you prefer a vegan product… Ritual
I don’t eat a vegan or plant-based diet, but there are plenty of women out there who do. If you’re a vegan, then Ritual is definitely the product for you as Needed is vegetarian-friendly, but not strictly vegan.
Ritual makes swaps for some nutrients, like using lichen instead of lanolin for Vitamin D3, to make their prenatal appropriate for vegans.
The ultimate winner… Needed
With all factors taken into consideration, Needed is by far the winner in my book.
Needed truly goes above and beyond with its comprehensive coverage, optimal dosages, and amazing price.
