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Nutrition Needs Champions

Studies show 95 percent of pregnant women are nutritionally depleted.

The status quo is failing us and knowledge is needed.

Introducing: Needed Academy

A free education program – on Instagram – for affiliate, ambassador, and practitioner partners, as well as curious mothers and mothers-to-be.

Leading women’s health experts will guide you through sessions that cover:

The physical demands of fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum and what our bodies need nutritionally to thrive.

Why women need radically more nutritional support than the status quo delivers.

The science and clinical experience behind our products – and how to share about them responsibly.

Apply Now

Together, we can radically transform the perinatal experience and the health of families for generations to come.

How It Works

  • 1
    Sign Up
    Fill out the form below.
  • 2
    Join the Academy
    Head over to @NeededAcademy on Instagram and start learning from our experts.
  • 3
    Become a Needed Champion
    Share what you’ve learned with your community and unlock perks using your unique code or URL.

Let’s Get Started

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We’ve received your application and our team will be in touch soon. Now head over to @NeededAcademy to start learning!

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FAQs

FAQs

What is Needed Academy?
A free nutritional education program – on Instagram – taught by leading women’s perinatal health experts, from OBGYNs to midwives, doulas, and nutritionists.
Is there a cost to the Needed Academy?
We believe that radically better education is needed to improve health outcomes for moms and babies. That’s why Needed Academy is completely free.
Who can join the Needed Academy?
This program is for women’s health advocates, ambassadors, affiliates, and practitioners, as well as curious mothers and mothers-to-be who want to learn more about their bodies and nutritional needs.
How do I get started?
Getting started is simple. Fill out the Needed Academy application on this page and head over to @NeededAcademy on Instagram to start learning! We all lead busy lives so we have designed the Needed Academy to fit into bite size sessions, you can pause and save your progress at anytime.
Why do I need to take a quiz?
In order to become a Needed Champion and join our partner program, you’ll need to take a short quiz to show off all that you’ve learned. This won’t take more than 15 minutes and once you’ve passed, you’ll receive a congratulatory gift and have the opportunity to earn partner perks.
What are the benefits of joining the Needed Academy?
Needed Academy empowers you with free, radically better knowledge rooted in women’s knowledge and leading science. Once you complete Needed Academy, you have the opportunity to partner with us, which unlocks perks including commission, free products, discounts to share with your community, exclusive sneak peeks, and more.
How long does the Needed Academy program last?
Your time is precious. That’s why we condensed all of the most important information needed into a one-hour long program that will level up your nutritional knowledge.
What is a Needed Champion?
Nutrition needs champions. Needed Champions are mothers, activists, scientists, practitioners, and culture shapers who will help us create a movement that provides millions of women with the information and nourishment they need to truly care for themselves, the people they love, and our planet.
Are there any requirements to maintain my status as a Needed Champion?
When you become a Needed Champion, you join our community of thousands of partners for life. There are no additional requirements to maintain your status, but as lifelong learners, we believe in sharing the latest research and clinical insights to keep you informed.

Invest in yourself and help transform the lives of millions of women and children by sharing the power of radically better nutrition.

“I was shocked by how much I didn’t know. This is the information most women will never hear at their typical OB appointment.”

Alyssa B.

“Needed Academy is a great way to learn about Needed's products and how they meet my clients’ nutritional needs for every phase of their perinatal journey.”

Olivia R., RD

Resources

Needed Labs White Paper
Product Guides
Prenatal Vitamin Guide
Meet Our Changemakers

From the Journal

The Science of Nutrition

Why ACOG and CDC Continue to Recommend Folic Acid Over Folate Despite Research Advancements
Why ACOG and CDC Continue to Recommend Folic Acid Over Folate Despite Research Advancements

The Science of Nutrition

5 Ingredients Not in Our Prenatal Multi—and Why
5 Ingredients Not in Our Prenatal Multi—and Why

Pregnancy

When Did Prenatals Become All the Rage?
When Did Prenatals Become All the Rage? View More On The Journal®

Citations

1. What to Expect

No citations.

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2. The Science Behind Fertility Nutrition

1 Harris E. Infertility Affects 1 in 6 People Globally. JAMA. Published online April 12, 2023. Available here.

2 The unacceptable stigma and shame women face after baby loss must end. www.who.int. Accessed June 26, 2024. Available here.

3 Pew Research Center analysis of 2017-2019 National Survey on Family Growth, National Center for Health Statistics. Accessed July 15, 2024. Available here.

4 Levine H, Jørgensen N, Martino-Andrade A, et al. Temporal trends in sperm count: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis of samples collected globally in the 20th and 21st centuries. Human Reproduction Update. 2022;29(2). Available here.

5 Deswal R, Narwal V, Dang A, Pundir CS. The Prevalence of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Brief Systematic Review. Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences. 2020;13(4):261-271. Available here.

6 Schaefer E, Nock D. The Impact of Preconceptional Multiple-Micronutrient Supplementation on Female Fertility. Clinical Medicine Insights: Women’s Health. 2019;12:1179562X1984386. Available here.

7 Negusse Tadesse Kitaba, Knudsen M, Johannessen A, et al. Fathers’ preconception smoking and offspring DNA methylation. Clinical Epigenetics. 2023;15(1). Available here.

8 Tiffon C. The Impact of Nutrition and Environmental Epigenetics on Human Health and Disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2019;19(11):3425. Available here.

9 - waiting for the correct study to cite about animal epigenetics 

10 Stephenson J, Heslehurst N, Hall J, et al. Before the beginning: nutrition and lifestyle in the preconception period and its importance for future health. The Lancet. 2018;391(10132):1830-1841. Available here.

11 Schaefer E, Nock D. The Impact of Preconceptional Multiple-Micronutrient Supplementation on Female Fertility. Clinical Medicine Insights: Women’s Health. 2019;12:1179562X1984386. Available here.

12 Chao HC, Zhang Y, Dong PY, Sangiliyandi Gurunathan, Zhang X. Comprehensive review on the positive and negative effects of various important regulators on male spermatogenesis and fertility. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2023;9. Available here.

13 Ferramosca A, Zara V. Diet and Male Fertility: The Impact of Nutrients and Antioxidants on Sperm Energetic Metabolism. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022;23(5):2542. Available here.

14 Al F, Cs G, Ub K. The influence of omega-3 fatty acids on semen quality markers: a systematic PRISMA review. Andrology. 2019;7(6). Available here.

15 Calcaterra V, Verduci E, Stagi S, Zuccotti G. How the intricate relationship between nutrition and hormonal equilibrium significantly influences endocrine and reproductive health in adolescent girls. Front Nutr. 2024;11:1337328. Published 2024 Mar 14. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1337328

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3. The Science Behind Prenatal Nutrition

1 Deems NP, Leuner B. Pregnancy, postpartum and parity: Resilience and vulnerability in brain health and disease. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology. 2020;57:100820. Available from:

doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100820  

2 Vricella LK. Emerging understanding and measurement of plasma volume expansion in pregnancy. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2017;106(Supplement 6):1620S1625S. Available from: doi:https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.117.155903

3 Montgomery KS. Nutrition Column An Update on Water Needs during Pregnancy and Beyond. The Journal of Perinatal Education. 2002;11(3):40-42. doi:https://doi.org/10.1624/105812402X88830

4 Bossung V, Singer A, Ratz T, Rothenbühler M, Leeners B, Kimmich N. Changes in Heart Rate, Heart Rate Variability, Breathing Rate, and Skin Temperature throughout Pregnancy and the Impact of Emotions—A Longitudinal Evaluation Using a Sensor Bracelet. Sensors. 2023;23(14):6620-6620. Available from: doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/s23146620

5 Pulmonary Disease and Pregnancy: Alterations in Pulmonary Physiology During Pregnancy, Alterations in Cardiac Physiology During Pregnancy, Dyspnea During Pregnancy. eMedicine. Published online March 15, 2022. Available from: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/303852-overview?form=fpf

6 Mayo Clinic. Pregnancy weight gain: What’s healthy? Mayo Clinic. Published 2017. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/pregnancy-weight-gain/art-20044360

7 Basal Metabolic Rate - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. Sciencedirect.com. Published 2016. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/basal-metabolic-rate 

8 Kepley JM, Bates K, Mohiuddin SS. Physiology, Maternal Changes. PubMed. Published March 12, 2023. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539766/ 

9 Ginther SC, Cameron H, White CR, Marshall DJ. Metabolic loads and the costs of metazoan reproduction. Science. 2024;384(6697):763-767. Available from: doi:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adk6772 

10 Spoelstra SK, Eijsink JJH, Hoenders HJR, Knegtering H. Maternal choline supplementation during pregnancy to promote mental health in offspring. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. Published online April 10, 2023. Available from: doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.13426

11 Bahnfleth CL, Strupp BJ, Caudill MA, Canfield RL. Prenatal choline supplementation improves child sustained attention: A 7‐year follow‐up of a randomized controlled feeding trial. The FASEB Journal. 2021;36(1). Available from: doi:https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.202101217r

12 Caudill MA, Strupp BJ, Muscalu L, Nevins JEH, Canfield RL. Maternal choline supplementation during the third trimester of pregnancy improves infant information processing speed: a randomized, double‐blind, controlled feeding study. The FASEB Journal. 2018;32(4):2172-2180. Available from: doi:https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.201700692rr

13 Skeaff S. Iodine Deficiency in Pregnancy: The Effect on Neurodevelopment in the Child. Nutrients. 2011;3(2):265-273. Available from: doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu3020265

14 Fanni D, Gerosa C, Nurchi VM, et al. The Role of Magnesium in Pregnancy and in Fetal Programming of Adult Diseases. Biological Trace Element Research. Published online December 14, 2020. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-020-02513-0

15 Mousa A, Naqash A, Lim S. Macronutrient and Micronutrient Intake during Pregnancy: An Overview of Recent Evidence. Nutrients. 2019;11(2):443. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11020443

16 Kovacs CS. Bone Development and Mineral Homeostasis in the Fetus and Neonate: Roles of the Calciotropic and Phosphotropic Hormones. Physiological Reviews. 2014;94(4):1143-1218. Available from: doi:https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00014.2014

17 Greenberg JA, Bell SJ, Ausdal WV. Omega-3 Fatty Acid supplementation during pregnancy. Reviews in obstetrics & gynecology. 2008;1(4):162-169. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2621042/

18 Morton SU, Vyas R, Gagoski B, et al. Maternal Dietary Intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Correlates Positively with Regional Brain Volumes in 1-Month-Old Term Infants. Cerebral Cortex. 2019;30(4):2057-2069. Available from: doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhz222

19 Nevins JEH, Donovan SM, Snetselaar L, et al. Omega-3 Fatty Acid Dietary Supplements Consumed During Pregnancy and Lactation and Child Neurodevelopment: A Systematic Review. The Journal of Nutrition. 2021;151(11):3483-3494. Available from: doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxab238

20 Giannella L, Grelloni C, Quintili D, et al. Microbiome Changes in Pregnancy Disorders. Antioxidants. 2023;12(2):463. Available from: doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox12020463

21 Romero R, Theis KR, Nardhy Gomez-Lopez, et al. The Vaginal Microbiota of Pregnant Women Varies with Gestational Age, Maternal Age, and Parity. Microbiology spectrum. 2023;11(4). Available from: doi:https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.03429-22

22 Suárez-Martínez C, Santaella-Pascual M, Yagüe-Guirao G, Martínez-Graciá C. Infant gut microbiota colonization: influence of prenatal and postnatal factors, focusing on diet. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2023;14:1236254. Available from: doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1236254 

23 Younge N. Influence of infant microbiome on health and development. Clinical and experimental pediatrics. Published online August 21, 2023. Available from: doi:https://doi.org/10.3345/cep.2023.00598 

24Nichols L. Real Food for Pregnancy : The Science and Wisdom of Optimal Prenatal Nutrition. Lily Nichols; 2018.

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4. The Science Behind Postpartum Nutrition

1 Hedges VL, Heaton EC, Amaral C, et al. Estrogen Withdrawal Increases Postpartum Anxiety via Oxytocin Plasticity in the Paraventricular Hypothalamus and Dorsal Raphe Nucleus. Biological Psychiatry. 2021;89(9):929-938. Available here.

2 Deems NP, Leuner B. Pregnancy, postpartum and parity: Resilience and vulnerability in brain health and disease. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology. 2020;57:100820. Available here.

3 Ball L, De Jersey S, Parkinson J, Vincze L, Wilkinson S. Postpartum nutrition: Guidance for general practitioners to support high-quality care. Australian Journal of General Practice. 2022;51(3):123-128. Available here.

4 Hsu MC, Tung CY, Chen HE. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in prevention and treatment of maternal depression: Putative mechanism and recommendation. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2018;238:47-61. Available here.

5 Aparicio E, Jardí C, Bedmar C, Pallejà M, Basora J, Arija V. Nutrient Intake during Pregnancy and Post-Partum: ECLIPSES Study. Nutrients. 2020;12(5):1325. Available here.

6 Abu-Ouf N, Jan M. The impact of maternal iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia on child’s health. Saudi Medical Journal. 2015;36(2):146-149. Available here.

7 Dhiman P, Pillai RR, Wilson AB, et al. Cross-sectional association between vitamin B12 status and probable postpartum depression in Indian women. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2021;21(1). Available here.

8 Raut AK, Hiwale KM. Iron Deficiency Anemia in Pregnancy. Cureus. 2022;14(9). Available here.

9 King JC. The Risk of Maternal Nutritional Depletion and Poor Outcomes Increases in Early or Closely Spaced Pregnancies. The Journal of Nutrition. 2003;133(5):1732S1736S. Available here.

10 Lin YH, Chen CM, Su HM, et al. Association between Postpartum Nutritional Status and Postpartum Depression Symptoms. Nutrients. 2019;11(6):1204. Available here.

11 Leung BMY, Kaplan BJ. Perinatal Depression: Prevalence, Risks, and the Nutrition Link—A Review of the Literature. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2009;109(9):1566-1575. Available here.

12 Chauhan G, Tadi P. Physiology, Postpartum Changes. PubMed. Published November 14, 2022. Available here.

13 Lockyer F, McCann S, Moore SE. Breast Milk Micronutrients and Infant Neurodevelopmental Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2021;13(11):3848. Available here.

14 Institute of Medicine (US) Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes and its Panel on Folate, Other B Vitamins, and Choline. Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline. National Academies Press (US); 1998. Available here.

15 Spoelstra SK, Eijsink JJH, Hoenders HJR, Knegtering H. Maternal choline supplementation during pregnancy to promote mental health in offspring. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. Published online April 10, 2023. Available here.

16 Ozarda Y, Cansev M, Ulus IH. Breast Milk Choline Contents Are Associated with Inflammatory Status of Breastfeeding Women. Journal of Human Lactation. 2013;30(2):161-166. Available here.

17 Lee CH, Giuliani F. The Role of Inflammation in Depression and Fatigue. Frontiers in Immunology. 2019;10(1696). Available here.

18 Hsu MC, Tung CY, Chen HE. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in prevention and treatment of maternal depression: Putative mechanism and recommendation. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2018;238:47-61. Available here.

19 Bernard, Cédric Galèra, Anne-Laure Sutter-Dallay, Heude B, Blandine de Lauzon–Guillain, Judith. A network analysis of nutritional markers and maternal perinatal mental health in the French EDEN cohort. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2023;23(1). Available here.

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5. The Alarming State of Perinatal Care

1 Maternal Mortality Is on the Rise: 8 Things To Know. Yale Medicine. Available here.

2 Needed Labs White Paper. Available for download here. 

3 Board I of M (US) F and N. What Are Dietary Reference Intakes? National Academies Press (US); 1998. Accessed January 12, 2023. Available here.

4 Board I of M (US) F and N. Concepts Underlying the Recommended Dietary Allowances. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Published 1994. Accessed February 27, 2024. Available here.

5 Jaiswal A, Dewani D, Reddy LS, Patel A. Choline Supplementation in Pregnancy: Current Evidence and Implications. Cureus. 2023;15(11):e48538. Available here.

6 Wallace TC, Blusztajn JK, Caudill MA, et al. Choline. Nutrition Today. 2018;53(6):240-253. Available here.

7 Carboni L. Active Folate Versus Folic Acid: The Role of 5-MTHF (Methylfolate) in Human Health. Integrative medicine (Encinitas, Calif). 2022;21(3):36-41. Available here.

8 Davis DR, Epp MD, Riordan HD. Changes in USDA Food Composition Data for 43 Garden Crops, 1950 to 1999. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2004;23(6):669-682. Available here.

9 Marles RJ. Mineral nutrient composition of vegetables, fruits and grains: The context of reports of apparent historical declines. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 2017;56:93-103. Available here.

10 Kordas K, LönnerdalB, Stoltzfus RJ. Interactions between Nutrition and Environmental Exposures: Effects on Health Outcomes in Women and Children. The Journal of Nutrition. 2007;137(12):2794-2797. Available here.

11 Expanding Prenatal Care Options for Low-Risk Patients. www.acog.org. Available here.

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6. Meet Needed

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7. What to Look For and Avoid in a Prenatal

1 Carboni L. Active Folate Versus Folic Acid: The Role of 5-MTHF (Methylfolate) in Human Health. Integrative medicine (Encinitas, Calif). 2022;21(3):36-41. Available here.

2 Raghubeer S, Matsha TE. Methylenetetrahydrofolate (MTHFR), the One-Carbon Cycle, and Cardiovascular Risks. Nutrients. 2021;13(12):4562. Available here.

3 Smith AD, Kim YI, Refsum H. Is folic acid good for everyone? The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008;87(3):517-533. Available here.

4 Tam C, O’Connor D, Koren G. Circulating Unmetabolized Folic Acid: Relationship to Folate Status and Effect of Supplementation. Obstetrics and Gynecology International. 2012;2012:1-17. Available here.

5 Ems T, St Lucia K, Huecker MR. Biochemistry, Iron Absorption. PubMed. Published 2022. Accessed April 15, 2022. Available here.

6 Fischer JAJ, Cherian AM, Bone JN, Karakochuk CD. The effects of oral ferrous bisglycinate supplementation on hemoglobin and ferritin concentrations in adults and children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition Reviews. Published online February 2, 2023. Available here.

7 Hennebelle M, Villeneuve P, Durand E, et al. Lipid oxidation in emulsions: New insights from the past two decades. Progress in lipid research. Published online January 1, 2024:101275-101275. Available here.

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8. Completing the Perinatal Nutrition System

1 Dawodu A, Tsang RC. Maternal vitamin D status: effect on milk vitamin D content and vitamin D status of breastfeeding infants. Adv Nutr. 2012;3(3):353-361. Published 2012 May 1. doi:10.3945/an.111.000950

2 Caudill MA, Strupp BJ, Muscalu L, Nevins JEH, Canfield RL. Maternal choline supplementation during the third trimester of pregnancy improves infant information processing speed: a randomized, double-blind, controlled feeding study. FASEB J. 2018;32(4):2172-2180. doi:10.1096/fj.201700692RR

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9. Sharing About Needed

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10. Final Quiz

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