The 4 Things We'd Check Before Choosing a Prenatal

In partnership with Ritual. Editor’s Note: We only select and work with partners that meet our quality standards, so you can rest assured we only endorse products we believe in.

If you're currently pregnant or trying to conceive, I'm willing to bet you have a lot of tabs open right now. And at least a few of them are probably trying to help you decipher scientific research that feels way over your head. Every decision that comes with preparing for a baby feels important, but choosing the right prenatal can feel especially high stakes.

We get it. Many of our parenting editors have been there – and several are there right now alongside you. After comparing today's leading prenatals and digging into the research, we've narrowed things down to the four factors we'd prioritize looking into first.

1. Look for a Prenatal That Covers Key Nutritional Gaps

It’s important to take a food-first approach to supplementation: aim to meet your nutrient needs through a healthy, well-varied diet, and then take a multivitamin to help fill gaps. DHA and iron are two widely-discussed nutrients in prenatal nutrition that are important to get through food, but many pregnant women don’t meet the recommended intake. DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that plays an important role in supporting brain and eye development, while iron helps support healthy oxygen transport and the increased blood volume that comes with pregnancy.* 

Both are widely recommended during pregnancy, but some brands exclude them. Others recommend purchasing them separately. A few brands, like Ritual’s Prenatal Multivitamin, include both in addition to other key nutrients to help simplify your routine.

2. Note Whether the Product Has Actually Been Clinically Studied

It's easy to find a prenatal that contains ingredients supported by research. It’s harder to find a prenatal that contains ingredients studied in a pregnant population. It’s even harder to find a prenatal that's been studied as a complete formula on a pregnant population with gold-standard methodology: a randomized, double-blind, university-led, controlled clinical trial. A finished formula can behave differently than its individual ingredients, which is why clinical research on the actual product matters. Rather than relying solely on studies of isolated nutrients, Ritual evaluated its Essential Prenatal in its own human clinical trial on second and third trimester women—and the results were published in a peer reviewed journal, Frontiers in Nutrition.

The study showed that moms taking Ritual:

• Had 2.4x more biotin in their blood than those taking a leading prenatal. Biotin supports metabolic demand during pregnancy.†*
• Had lower overall maternal cortisol levels than those taking a leading prenatal.^† Cortisol is a stress hormone, which naturally increases during pregnancy.*
• Maintained adequate folate levels throughout pregnancy. It also resulted in less unmetabolized folic acid in mom’s blood and the placenta compared to those taking a leading prenatal with folic acid, indicating more efficient folate utilization. ^†*

These results are  meaningful signals that the product has been tested the way it's actually intended to be used—and the fact that it was published in a peer reviewed journal shows that the scientific community holds these results in high regard. 

3. Choose a Prenatal You'll Actually Take

This might be the most overlooked factor. Even the most thoughtfully formulated prenatal can't do much if it's difficult to stick with every day. During pregnancy (especially the first trimester) nausea, food aversions, and changing routines can make consistency harder than expected. We’ve found that fewer pills in easy-to-take capsules are the simplest to stick with. Gentle nutrient forms that are shown to be gentle on the stomach – like chelated iron – and citrus-essenced capsules can help to make taking prenatals a more enjoyable experience. In a clinical study, more moms taking Ritual’s Essential Prenatal reported it to be easy to swallow and gentle on the stomach than those taking a leading prenatal.†* Sometimes, making habits easier is just as important as what's on the label.

4. A Longer Ingredient List Isn't Always Better

When you're comparing prenatals, it's tempting to assume that more nutrients, or higher percentages of the Daily Value, means a better product. That's not necessarily the case. Rather than maximizing every ingredient simply because it can fit on the label, the focus is on including evidence-backed nutrients in thoughtful amounts. 

And more of a certain nutrient isn’t necessarily better, either. This is especially true for B vitamins: since B vitamins are water-soluble, excess amounts are simply excreted in urine (with the exception of B12 (stored in the liver) and folate (critical in pregnancy)). Talk about an expensive pee! NHANES data show pregnant women commonly already meet or exceed the RDA for most B vitamins through diet. 

Our Take

There isn't one "perfect" prenatal for everyone, and it's always important to talk with your healthcare provider about your individual needs. But if you're looking for a place to start, we'd prioritize four things: key nutrients like DHA and iron; a peer-reviewed, published clinical trial on the finished formula; and a prenatal that's simple enough to take consistently. After comparing today's leading options, Ritual Essential Prenatal stood out for checking every box. So many of our editors love it and, importantly, stick with it throughout their pregnancies. 

Want to learn more about our top pick? Start here.

^†Based on a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial on 62 second and third trimester pregnant women.

* 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.