Names have been changed to protect patient privacy. Clinical details and images are shared with the couple’s consent.
Some fertility journeys are not about one person. They are about two people deciding to change something together, at the same time, in the same kitchen.
That is what stayed with me about Rani and Mohan. They came to us as a team, and they did the work as a team, and the results belong to both of them.
Where They Started
Rani and Mohan had already been through a lot before they reached Fertilia. They had done one IUI cycle, and Rani had conceived, but that pregnancy ended in an early miscarriage. Anyone who has been through a loss like that knows it does not stay in the past neatly. It shapes how you approach the next attempt, and it deserves to be held gently.
When they came to us, they were not looking to skip their fertility treatment. Their own doctor had referred them to us, to strengthen their health alongside the treatment they were planning. That is exactly the kind of partnership we like to be part of. Their gynaecologist handles the medical side. We add the lifestyle layer underneath it.
Their starting health picture had a few things worth naming honestly:
Rani weighed 86.7 kg, and her reports showed:
- A pre-diabetic HbA1c of 5.7 percent
- Gastritis
- Raised cholesterol and triglycerides
- Low vitamin D
- A slightly raised TSH, in the subclinical hypothyroid range
Mohan weighed 102.2 kg, and carried:
- Type 2 diabetes, with an HbA1c of 8.7 percent
- Some lifestyle habits, including smoking, that we wanted to gently work on together
None of this is unusual. These are the everyday metabolic patterns that build up quietly in busy, sedentary, long-working-hours lives. And all of it is workable.
Why We Started With Their Health, Not the Treatment
When a couple has already had a loss and is preparing for another cycle, the instinct is to move fast. But a body that is metabolically steadier, better rested and better nourished is a stronger place to begin from. So Dr. Suganya set the goals in a clear order:
- Gradual, sustainable weight loss for both partners, through everyday change and not crash dieting
- Building healthier, more regular eating habits in place of irregular meals
- Bringing consistent physical activity into their week
- Improving Mohan’s blood sugar control and Rani’s overall metabolic markers
- Holding their emotional wellbeing steady after the loss and through the fertility journey ahead
The aim was never a number on a scale for its own sake. It was to prepare two bodies, together, for the next step.
The Plan: Balanced Plates They Could Keep Up With
Before Fertilia, Rani and Mohan ate the way a lot of busy couples eat: irregular timings, whatever was quick, and long stretches of sitting. So the nutrition plan our team built with them was not about eating less. It was about eating in a balanced, structured way that they could actually sustain.
The plates were built around familiar food: dal and vegetables, paneer and soya for protein, plenty of fibre from raw salads, and sensible portions of rice and millets. They learned to put a plate together in the right proportions of carbohydrate, fibre and protein, rather than following a rigid chart they would abandon in a week.
This mattered especially for Mohan’s diabetes. Steady, balanced, fibre-forward meals at regular times do a lot of quiet work on blood sugar, and they are far more sustainable than any extreme restriction. Rani, meanwhile, started paying attention to her portions and her meal timings, which helped both her gastritis and her weight.
If you and your partner are preparing for fertility treatment and want to build your health first, Dr. Suganya can guide you both, together. Talk to Dr. Suganya on WhatsApp →
Moving Together
Both Rani and Mohan had followed a mostly sedentary routine, so activity was introduced gradually and built up at their own pace. What made the difference was that they did it together. They walked together, worked out together, and on the hard days, they kept each other going.
Doing this as a couple is genuinely one of the strongest predictors of who keeps it up. When both people in a home are eating the same balanced food and moving at the same time, nobody is the odd one out, and the habit holds.
What Changed
Rani and Mohan stayed consistent, even through the tiring stretches, and their effort showed up steadily on the scale and in their reports.
- Rani went from 86.7 kg to 78.7 kg, a loss of 8 kg
- Mohan went from 102.2 kg to 94.5 kg, a loss of 7.7 kg
- Together, they lost a combined 15.7 kg, close to 16 kg
The number that mattered most to me, though, was Mohan’s blood sugar. His HbA1c came down into the non-diabetic range, which he was thrilled to share:
Better blood sugar control has knock-on effects everywhere, including on fertility and on general healing, and it matters more than any number on the scale. Rani’s starting reports had shown the metabolic picture we were working to improve:
If you want to understand why weight loss is never only about the number on the scale, we have written about that here. And if a raised TSH is part of your picture too, our guide on how thyroid affects fertility is a good place to start.
In Their Words
Rani sent the team a long message partway through, and this line stayed with all of us:
“And most important, I gained confidence in losing weight in a healthy way.”
She also wrote, with a lot of warmth, that after learning to balance her own plates she had become the “mini dietician” of her family, guiding her parents on what to eat. That is what real change looks like: it does not stay with one person, it spreads through a whole household.
They later left this review together:
“We reduced 16 kgs in 3 months, each 8 kgs, in a healthier way as a couple.”
Dr. Suganya’s Note
“Rani and Mohan came to me after a loss, and preparing for their next step. I did not want to rush them into another cycle with the same metabolic picture they started with. Mohan’s diabetes and Rani’s weight, thyroid and gut health were all things we could genuinely improve, and they did the work beautifully, together. Bringing his HbA1c into the non-diabetic range and taking 16 kg off between them means their next attempt begins from a much stronger place. That preparation is never wasted.” (Rani and Mohan were supported through the program by our nutrition and wellness team, including nutritionist Manisha.)
Ready for the Next Step
Rani and Mohan have not had their next cycle yet. But that is not the measure of this chapter. What they have now is two healthier bodies, a diabetic HbA1c brought back into a safe range, 16 kg gone between them, and a set of habits they can hold onto for the rest of their lives, whatever comes next.
For a couple preparing for IUI, that is exactly what you want to walk in with. A steadier metabolism, better blood sugar, and the confidence of having done the groundwork together. If you would like to understand the treatment side, our guides on IUI success rates in India and on conceiving after a miscarriage explain what to expect.
You can read more journeys like theirs on our stories page, and learn more about the approach on our fertility program and weight-loss program pages.
Every couple deserves a plan built for their bodies and their life, not a generic diet chart. Dr. Suganya and the Fertilia team work with you one-on-one, fully online, wherever you are in India. Start a conversation with Dr. Suganya on WhatsApp →
Frequently Asked Questions
Should couples prepare their health before IUI or IVF?
For many couples, yes. Fertility treatment works best when both partners are metabolically healthy. Improving weight, blood sugar, thyroid function, nutrition and sleep before a cycle can support the body and, in men, semen quality. In Rani and Mohan’s case, their own doctor referred them to us to build this foundation alongside their treatment, and that partnership is exactly how it should work.
Does the husband’s health matter for fertility too?
Very much. Fertility is a shared picture, not only the woman’s. A man’s weight, blood sugar, diet, sleep and habits such as smoking all influence semen quality and overall fertility. This is why we work with both partners together. Mohan bringing his HbA1c into the non-diabetic range was a meaningful part of this couple’s preparation.
Can you lose weight safely with diabetes and thyroid issues?
Yes, and it is often exactly what helps. The key is a structured, sustainable approach rather than an extreme one: balanced meals at regular times, adequate protein and fibre, gradual increases in activity, and proper medical management of diabetes and thyroid under your own doctor. Rani and Mohan lost a combined 16 kg this way, without crash dieting. Our insulin resistance guide explains the mechanism.
How much weight did Rani and Mohan lose, and over how long?
Rani lost 8 kg, from 86.7 kg to 78.7 kg. Mohan lost 7.7 kg, from 102.2 kg to 94.5 kg. Together that is a combined 15.7 kg, close to 16 kg, over about three months, through gradual lifestyle change rather than any crash diet.
Do you replace our fertility doctor?
No. We work alongside your fertility team, never instead of them. Your gynaecologist or fertility specialist manages the medical side, including IUI or IVF, and we add the lifestyle and metabolic layer that supports it: nutrition, weight, blood sugar, thyroid, sleep and emotional wellbeing. All our consultations happen online via video call, so the program fits around your life anywhere in India.
Every story we share is real, verified, and published with the patient’s consent. Names and identifying details are changed to protect privacy.
