When going through fertility treatment, you’ll encounter a new set of terms and acronyms that you’ve likely never heard of before. Whether someone is waiting to POAS after their FET and hates PIO injections, or they need to BD, but DH is having trouble—(TMI!), you might be feeling overwhelmed.
If you’re trying to find a community on infertility forums, or over social media, you’re probably going to see a ton of abbreviations. It sort of feels like learning a foreign language, but over time, you’ll pick up on the lingo and may start to use it yourself. After all, you’re too busy attending doctor appointments, giving yourself injections, and focusing on growing follicles.
Use this cheat sheet with some of the most common fertility terms acronyms until you feel like a pro.
A
AF: Aunt Flo (your period/menstrual cycle)
ANA: Antinuclear antibodies
ART: Assisted reproductive technology
ASRM: American Society of Reproductive Medicine
B
BBT: Basal body temperature
BCP: Birth control pills
BD: Baby dance (having sex with the intention of getting pregnant)
Beta: pregnancy blood test that measures the level of hCG
BFN: Big fat negative (negative pregnancy test)
BFP: Big fat positive (positive pregnancy test)
BW: Bloodwork
C
CCT: Clomid challenge test
CD: Cycle day (a specific day in your menstrual cycle)
CM: Cervical mucus
D
D&C: Dilation and curettage
DE: Donor eggs
DH: Dear husband
DOR: Diminished ovarian reserve
DP: Dear partner
DPT: Days post-transfer: days after an embryo transfer
DPO: Days post-ovulation (used while waiting to take a pregnancy test)
DW: Dear wife
Dx: Diagnosis
E
E2: Estradiol
EDD: Estimated due date
ENDO: Endometriosis
ER: Egg retrieval
ERA: Endometrial receptivity array
ET: Embryo transfer
EWCM: Egg white cervical mucus: describing the consistency of cervical mucus present around ovulation
F
FET: Frozen embryo transfer
FSH: Follicle-stimulating hormone
G
GnRH: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone
H
HCG: Human chorionic gonadotropin: the hormone tested to determine pregnancy
HPT: Home pregnancy test
HSG: Hysterosalpingogram
I
ICSI: Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection
IF: Infertility
IM: Intramuscular injections
IUI: Intrauterine insemination
IVF: In vitro fertilization
IVIg: Intravenous immunoglobulin
L
Lap: Laparoscopy
LH: Luteinizing hormone
LMP: Last menstrual period
M
MC, M/C: Miscarriage
MF: Male factor
O
O: Ovulation
OB, OB/GYN: Obstetrician or obstetrician/gynecologist
OHSS: Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
OPT or OPK: Ovulation predictor test or ovulation predictor kit
P
P4, Prog: Progesterone
PCOS: Polycystic ovary syndrome
PCP: Primary care physician
PCT: Post-coital test
PESA: Percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration
PG: Pregnant
PID: Pelvic inflammatory disease
PIO: Progesterone in oil
PMS: Pre-menstrual syndrome
POAS: Pee on a stick
POF: Premature ovarian failure
R
RE: Reproductive endocrinologist
RI: Reproductive immunologist
RPL: Recurrent pregnancy loss
S
SA: Semen analysis
SART: Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology
SHG: Sonohysterogram
SO: Significant other
SPA: Sperm penetration assay
SubQ: Subcutaneous injection
T
T4: Thyroxine
TESA: Testicular Sperm Aspiration
TI: Timed intercourse
TMI: Too much information
TSH: Thyroid-stimulating hormone
TTC: Trying to conceive
TWW or 2WW: Two-week wait (time-frame between ovulation your pregnancy test)
U
US: Ultrasound
W
WNL: Within normal limits
You might be feeling like your head is spinning with all the abbreviations and slang in the fertility world, but remember it’s more important you’re connecting with others who can relate to what you’re experiencing. With this cheat sheet, you can arm yourself with the fertility lingo and wait for your BFP.
Interested in growing your family with fertility treatments, contact us today to make an appointment with a CCRM Fertility specialist.
