For most moms-to-be, prenatal vitamins are a must. A healthy diet is step one, but it’s easy to fall short on key nutrients that ensure the health of you and your baby. If you’re planning to conceive or are pregnant, that’s probably no surprise – but you may be overwhelmed by all the choices out there.

We enlisted the help of Vanessa Dyer (RDN), a registered dietician, expert in prenatal nutrition, and lactation consultant. She’ll help us understand what to look for—and avoid—in a prenatal supplement.

Combining Dyer’s expertise with hands-on reviews by TCD moms on staff, we evaluated three popular prenatal supplement brands – Perelel, Ritual, and Needed – to help you make an informed choice for you and your baby.

We evaluated each prenatal supplement on 1) ingredients, 2) quality, 3) expertise, 4) ease of intake, 5) convenience, and 6) value. One clear winner stood out. Read on to find out which!

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Choosing a Prenatal Supplement

Prenatal supplements are proven to help prevent birth defects and developmental abnormalities, alleviate pregnancy symptoms, and even aid in postpartum recovery and breastfeeding.¹ “They provide vital nutrients that you might not get naturally from your diet,” says Dyer, “especially during pregnancy when food intolerance, cravings, and changes in taste can impact your ability to get the nutrients you need.”

It’s important to research brands before buying a prenatal supplement. Supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so look for those that contain high quality ingredients and are designed by specialists, such as OB/GYNs and prenatal researchers.

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The most important nutrients in these supplements are Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Choline, B-Vitamins, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Nutrient needs change during different trimesters. For instance, women should look for B6 in the first trimester, when nausea is most common, or probiotics during the third trimester, when immune strength is most important.

Lastly, women should consider whether a prenatal supplement option is affordable and convenient – after all, the best vitamin is one you will take regularly. Some women also may have difficulty swallowing many pills, or get nausea from different odors.

Now, let’s take a look at how Perelel, Ritual, and Needed compare.

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Ingredients:

Perelel Wins with Trimester-Specific Supplement Packs

We reviewed each of the three prenatal supplements for the most important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, summarized below (percentages indicate daily recommended values for pregnant women):

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Perelel’s Prenatal Supplement Packs contain the most important nutrients for pregnant women and their babies: Folate, Vitamin B6, Choline, Calcium and Magnesium, Iron, and both DHA and EPA Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Perelel adjusts the amounts of many ingredients based on the trimester. “It is important that Perelel offers trimester-specific supplement packs as both baby and mom have changing needs through each trimester,” says Vanessa Dyer, our prenatal nutritionist.

Dyer walked us through these key nutrients, as well as the impact of getting too little (or too much) while pregnant.

Folate

Folate may be the most important prenatal vitamin: it helps ensure the healthy development of your baby’s spinal cord, one of the first organs to develop. In fact, in just the sixth week of pregnancy, the neural tube closes, which connects the spinal cord to the brain.²

“Perelel’s first trimester pack provides the folate needed to develop the baby’s spinal cord. Problems can result in spina bifida (spine deformity), leading to both physical and mental disabilities,” says Dyer. Perelel provides a higher 284% of the recommended daily value in the critical first trimester. Needed and Ritual provide lower doses throughout pregnancy.

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‍Vitamin B6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Vitamin B6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids reduce nausea in the first trimester. During pregnancy, your body ramps up production of prostaglandins to prepare the body for labor. B6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids synthesize this hormone. “If there are too many prostaglandins and not enough Omega-3 or B6 to synthesize them, the body will try to reject those prostaglandins by vomiting,” explains Dyer. “Perelel is the best option for the first trimester because it supplies the combo of B6 and Omega-3 DHA and EPA needed to prevent morning sickness.”

Omega-3 Fatty Acids are also crucial for brain development in the fetus throughout pregnancy. Both Perelel and Ritual include 350 mg of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in their prenatal supplement packs. However, there are differences in the brands’ formulas: Ritual’s 350 mg of Omega-3 consists only of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), while Perelel’s dosage contains 250 mg of DHA and 100 mg of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). That’s important because EPA may play a role in placental transport and the absorption of DHA.³ Finally, Needed does not include Omega-3 in its Prenatal Multi Capsules, but offers an Omega-3 pill for an additional $34.99/month.

Both Perelel and Needed provide vitamin B6 throughout pregnancy. Perelel contains more B6 in the first trimester, where morning sickness is more prevalent, and reduces the dose in the second and third. Needed supplies 2000% of the daily recommendation of vitamin B6 for the duration of the pregnancy. If taken long-term, studies show this can potentially cause nausea, heartburn, and even loss of muscle control.⁴

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‍Calcium and Magnesium

Calcium and magnesium work together to manage muscle-related pregnancy symptoms. “Magnesium helps muscles relax, and calcium helps muscles contract. Not enough (or too much) of either can cause muscle pain or cramping,” explains Dyer. Perelel and Needed each provide 15% of the DRV for calcium, along with higher amounts of magnesium (61% and 50%, respectively), a mineral that is harder to obtain in our diets. Ritual, in comparison, provides no calcium, and just 8% of the DRV for magnesium.

‍Iron

Blood volume increases during pregnancy, which means iron is very important. Iron creates hemoglobin, a protein which carries oxygen throughout the blood. “Iron deficiency during pregnancy can cause preterm delivery or anemia, which can be fatal. Additionally, a lack of oxygen can damage the baby’s brain.” says Dyer. Perelel and Ritual provide iron in their prenatal supplements; Needed does not. Women taking Needed should consider buying additional iron supplements.

‍Probiotics

Probiotics can boost you and your baby’s immune systems. Ritual and Needed offer probiotics as an add-on for $43.20 and $41.99 monthly, respectively. Perelel includes probiotics in the third trimester for no extra cost. In the third trimester in particular, probiotics are useful in regulating blood glucose levels, which can help to prevent excess weight gain and gestational diabetes.⁵

Perelel includes the vital and well-studied vitamins and nutrients for pregnancy, and adjusts based on the changing needs of mom and baby throughout pregnancy. That’s why it’s our choice on ingredients.

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Quality:

It’s a Tie!

We feel confident in the quality and transparency of the ingredients behind Perelel, Ritual, and Needed. Although the FDA does not regulate dietary supplements, each brand follows the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) and utilizes third-party testing. Information on how and where ingredients are sourced can be easily found on all three websites.

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Expertise:

Perelel is the Only Prenatal Supplement Founded by an OB/GYN

Each brand we reviewed has a unique story behind their mission. Ritual was founded by a mother who became upset with the pseudoscience of mass-produced products. Needed was founded by two businesswomen concerned with the lack of woman-developed research when it came to prenatal supplements.

Perelel was created by an OB/GYN, Dr. Banafsheh Bayati. She developed the trimester-specific product in partnership with registered dietitians, maternal-fetal medicine doctors,reproductive endocrinologists—and a former patient whose daughter experienced birth defects due to complications with prenatal supplements. They recognized that prenatal supplements are not a one-size fits all approach: women go through various physiological changes in each trimester, which means their nutritional needs change, too.⁶ ⁷

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Ease of Intake:

Ritual is the Easiest to Consume

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If taking many pills is difficult for you, then Ritual’s 2-pill-per-day plan is the way to go. Our testers also noted the small, scented insert that helps mask the “algae odor” common to prenatal supplements with Omega-3 DHA. That odor can be a barrier in consuming especially in the first trimester when pregnant women are most sensitive to smell.

Perelel’s daily dose is 5 pills, portioned in convenient sachets. Most testers found that these could be comfortably taken all at once. Perelel also offers a powder version of its prenatal vitamin for those experiencing nausea or difficulty swallowing pills.

Needed is the most difficult to consume, with 8 pills required per day. Our testers noticed the algae odor, but the container also included heart-shaped scented inserts. These mint, lemon, or orange scents somewhat mask the smell.

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Convenience:

Perelel’s Daily Packs Make Things Simple

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Testers found it challenging to either take Needed’s eight pills per day at once, or consistently remember to dose multiple times a day. As mentioned, Ritual only requires 2 pills per day. But for both brands, if you opt for add-ons to get our recommended nutrients by trimester, things get a lot more complicated - and a lot more expensive.  

Testers preferred Perelel’s daily supplement packs. They contain all of the nutrients recommended in each trimester, without the need for add-ons or additional planning. The more schedules and pills to keep track of, the easier it can be to miss the mark.

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Value:

Perelel is the Best Bang for Your Buck

Next, let’s compare the monthly costs of each brand.

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Ritual is cheapest at $39 per month, but contains only half the nutrients provided by the Perelel and Needed supplements. Most notably, it does not contain EPA, vitamin B6 or calcium. Ritual offers a Probiotic add-on for $43.20/month, which women could consider during the third trimester.

Expect to obtain 24-25 nutrients from Perelel’s prenatal supplement packs for $49.50 per month. Needed is slightly more expensive at $50.99/month, providing 26 nutrients. However, Needed does not include Omega-3, Iron, or Probiotics - some of the most important nutrients for pregnant women. Instead, these must be purchased as add-ons, which increase the cost to over $140 in some months.

For $49.50, Perelel is the easy pick for value. Testers appreciated the straightforward nature of the subscription – simply select your trimester, and the guesswork and research is done for you.  Plus, when you subscribe with your expected due date, they will ensure your subscription automatically updates alongside your pregnancy without any changes needed on your end so the right trimester-specific pack shows up on your doorstep each month.

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The Verdict is in: Perelel is the Best Prenatal Supplement.

Perelel is the best option for prenatal supplements due to its ingredients, trimester-specific approach, and overall value. It is also the first and only major prenatal supplement to be created by an OB/GYN.

“I recommend Perelel to my prenatal clients. It accommodates their changing needs through pregnancy. My clients receive the right amount of the nutrients they need for all 9 months of pregnancy, without the guesswork,” said Dyer, our prenatal dietitican.

Ready to try Perelel? With TCD, save 25% on your first order!

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^{¹https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9275129/}

^{²https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/prenatal-care}

^{³https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19173020/}

^{⁴https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-b6/art-20363468}

^{⁵https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9330652/}

^{⁶https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4928162/}

^{⁷https://mhnpjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40748-022-00139-9}