I had a baby in 2024, and this time around, I wanted to be more intentional about my prenatal. Pregnancy already comes with enough changes. Especially when first-trimester nausea hits, or swallowing a handful of capsules feels impossible, a gummy is just easier to stick with.
The catch: gummy prenatals have always come with a tradeoff. There's only so much nutrition you can pack into a gummy, and most fall well short of what your body actually needs.
That's what made me curious about Needed's new Prenatal Multi Gummy. I compared it with OLLY and SmartyPants, two of the most popular gummy prenatals on the market, to see which one I'd actually reach for this time.
The Only Prenatal Gummy With More of the Nutrients You Need
This was the biggest factor for me.
Needed spent four years working with formulators to pack more real nutrition into a gummy without making it harder to take. Compared to OLLY, Needed delivers 21x more vitamin B12, 20x more vitamin B6, 5x more vitamin D, 5x more choline, and 2x more vitamin C and zinc†.
Add it up, and that's 8x more nutrition than the leading prenatal gummy‖, and 4x more than the average of leading prenatal brands‡.
SmartyPants comes closer on nutrient count, but still falls short on the nutrients that matter most: 667 mcg of methylfolate to Needed's 920 mcg, 14 mcg of selenium to Needed's 70 mcg, and 1,200 IU of vitamin D to Needed's 4,000 IU.§
| Nutrient (per serving) | Needed | OLLY | SmartyPants |
| Total nutrients | 17 | 11 | 16 |
| Methylfolate | 920 mcg | 667 mcg | 667 mcg |
| Choline | 55 mg | 10 mg | 55 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 75 mcg | 3.5 mcg | 4.7 mcg |
| Vitamin B6 | 40 mg | 2 mg | 2 mg |
| Vitamin D | 100 mcg (4,000 IU) | 20 mcg (800 IU) | 30 mcg (1,200 IU) |
Nutrient amounts are per labeled daily serving. Full comparison and sourcing in the footnotes below.
95% of women are nutritionally depleted even while taking a standard prenatal. If you're relying on a gummy, that gap tends to get wider, not smaller.
Winner: Needed, for putting meaningfully more usable nutrition in every serving.
More Nutrition Without Sacrificing the Ease of a Gummy
Part of the reason I wanted a gummy prenatal in the first place was convenience. OLLY requires two gummies per day, while Needed and SmartyPants both require three.
But for me, taking one extra gummy is worth it when I look at how much more nutrition I’m getting. Needed packs 17 nutrients into its three-gummy serving, including significantly more vitamin B6, B12, and vitamin D than OLLY or SmartyPants.
Needed can also be taken with or without food, ideally in the morning or at lunch. Especially during pregnancy, when my appetite and routine can change by the day, I like having that flexibility.
Winner: Needed, for delivering significantly more nutrition while still keeping the routine to just three gummies a day.
Cleaner Ingredients Without Compromising on Nutrition
I’m also paying closer attention to what’s actually in my prenatal this time around, beyond the vitamin and mineral amounts.
All three brands have their own ingredient standards, but Needed stands out for pairing its higher nutritional coverage with no synthetic dyes and no artificial sweeteners. That means choosing a gummy format doesn’t require me to compromise on the standards I’m looking for.
That combination is what ultimately matters to me. I’m not just choosing between a “cleaner” gummy and a more nutritious prenatal. With Needed, I can get the easy-to-take format I wanted, significantly more nutrition, and an ingredient list I feel good about.
Winner: Needed, for combining its higher nutritional standard with no synthetic dyes or artificial sweeteners.
Built to Support You From Month One Through Postpartum
I also wanted a prenatal that supports more than checking off the basics during pregnancy. This is another area where the differences in the nutrient panels stood out to me.
OLLY and SmartyPants both provide a range of essential prenatal nutrients, but Needed provides higher amounts of several nutrients designed to support you throughout pregnancy and beyond, including B vitamins, vitamin D, selenium, and methylfolate.
In the first few months, Needed’s nutrients support things like energy, stress response, mood, and immune resilience.* By six months and beyond, nutrients including biotin, vitamin E, choline, B vitamins, vitamin D, and K2 support hair, skin and nails, focus, and long-term bone health.*
After having one baby already, I like knowing I’m choosing a prenatal that doesn’t just make the gummy format convenient. Compared with OLLY and SmartyPants, Needed’s broader nutritional profile gives me more of the support I’m looking for throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
Winner: Needed, for providing more comprehensive nutritional support for the whole journey, not just the basics.
My Final Verdict: Needed Is the Prenatal Gummy I'm Actually Excited to Take
After having my first baby in 2024, I'm approaching this pregnancy differently.
Needed, OLLY, and SmartyPants all make a gummy that's easy to take. Needed is the only one that also gives me more of the nutrition I actually need, without asking me to choose between the two.
Good to know before you buy: a one-time bottle is $42.99. Subscribing saves up to 20% and includes free shipping, and you can pause or cancel anytime. First-time subscribers can use code HELLONEEDED for an extra 20% off plus free shipping. Needed is also HSA/FSA eligible, and unopened bottles can be returned within 30 days.
For me, that makes Needed the prenatal gummy I'm most excited to reach for this time around.
*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 a comparison of each brand's labeled daily serving amounts of vitamins and minerals. As of May 2026.
‖Based on a comparison of each brand's labeled daily serving amounts of vitamins and minerals relative to the pregnancy Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs), calculated as an average across those nutrients. As of May 2026.
‡4x more nutrition refers to the average amount of vitamins and minerals provided per daily serving, measured relative to pregnancy Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs), compared to the average of the leading prenatal gummy and capsule brand and Needed's Prenatal as of May 2026. Brand A: 8x, Brand B: 4x, Brand C: 4x, Brand D: 4x.
§Nutrient amounts per labeled daily serving, from each brand's official website, as of June 2026.
**Needed provides 174–709% more nutrients per serving (%DV) than other U.S. prenatal gummies. Nielsen, May 2026.
