We are delighted to introduce to you Dr Divya Manglam, our resident nutritionist expert. Divya Manglam is a medical doctor and obtained her postgraduate master’s degree (MSc) in Nutrition from King’s College London in 2020. Having a medical degree allows Divya to approach the nutrition from a medical perspective, taking into consideration the interactions between food and medication.
Choosing fertility nutrition
Dr Manglam, a mother of 2, admits that she had fertility problems herself. While her first child was conceived naturally, for her second child it wasn’t that straightforward, in fact a 10 year journey. “[My struggles] motivated me to explore this area of fertility nutrition. I feel the pain and the stress level, and the term ‘infertility’.”
Learning from her own experience
Trying to conceive her second child, Dr Manglam made some adjustments, “I made quite a few changes to my diet, as well as my thinking process”. Sometimes IVF medications bring so many changes to the body, and that’s why Dr Manglam recommends organic, fresh food. “Many patients say, ‘I wish I knew that’ after they see me. There are small, small changes that can have huge impact.”
Dr Manglam sees patients before starting their fertility treatment, as well as during their fertility treatment. Divya recommends at least 1 initial consultation and one follow-up. “If someone goes through embryo transfer, they sometimes have only 2-3 weeks.” Every patient receives a personalised diet plan that includes meals, snacks etc.
The fertility health and food
It takes up to 3 months for egg and sperm health to improve with the change of diet, so early embracement of the process and consultations with Dr Manglam is recommended.
“The woman needs to prepare her body for a successful implantation, and food has a role to play. It’s also very important to maintain a healthy diet after a successful implantation and throughout a pregnancy,” continues Dr Manglam.
Dr Manglam explains that she needs to assess the whole lifestyle of the patient, “I think, having appropriate knowledge is the right approach.”
Choosing Harley Street Fertility Clinic
Dr Manglam’s decision to join the Harley Street Fertility Clinic team was heavily influenced by the holistic approach of entire clinic. “This is a family-run clinic, and what you need the most is support. It’s a really supportive team. It accommodates every patient’s needs. It’s open communication. People can share their mind, and we are working towards the same goal, to see more people having babies and making families.”
How would you express ‘family happiness’
As a mother and as part of the Harley Street Fertility Clinic family
“Family happiness means supporting each other. Family means a close net – where you can be yourself, you don’t have to pretend, and just be there.”
Reflecting on her own family relationships, she continues “Family happiness means the smiles on my children’s faces and when they say ‘I love you, Mama!’”
“Our patients trust us – this means to know they feel confident when going out of the door”.
A message for our future patients
Dr Manglam has a very powerful message for her future patients: “If you are looking for a place where you can start your fertility journey, if you’ve been everywhere and you are disappointed, you are at the right place now. You will get everything under one umbrella. We are happy to help you and happy to connect with you.”
Look out for more wise nutrition words from Dr Manglam over the coming months. If you would like to book an appointment with Dr Manglam, please speak with one of our Patient Coordinators. You can call us on 020 7436 6838, or email us at info@hsfc.org.uk.
