If you have looked at socials or Facebook groups about fertility and IVF, you've probably seen a LOT of acronyms! Some are easy to guess, others not so much, so we've compiled a list of the most common terms so you'll be able to navigate with ease:
2WW: Two-week wait
ART: Assisted reproductive technology (e.g., in vitro fertilization)
BBT: Basal Body Temperature
BCP: Birth Control Pills
BD: Baby Dance (sex!)
Beta/Beta hCG: hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) pregnancy test
BFN: Big Fat Negative
BFP: Big Fat Positive
CB: Cycle Buddy
CD: Cycle Day
DE: Donor Eggs
DH: Dear Husband
DI: Donor Insemination
DOR: Diminished Ovarian Reserve
DPO: Days Post-Ovulation
DPR: Days Post-Retrieval
DPT: Days Post-Transfer
DW: Dear Wife
Dx: Diagnosis
ENDO: Endometriosis
EPT: Early Pregnancy Test
ER: Egg Retrieval
ET: Embryo Transfer
FET: Frozen Embryo Transfer
FF: Fertility Friend
FHR: Fetal Heart Rate
Frostie: Frozen Embryo
FSH: Follicle-Stimulating Hormone
FTTA: Fertile Thoughts to All
HCG: Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hormone detected by pregnancy tests)
HPT: Home Pregnancy Test
HyCoSy: Hystero-salpingo contrast sonography (an ultrasound procedure to assess whether fallopian tubes are open or blocked)
HX: History
ICSI: Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection
IF: Infertility
IR: Insulin Resistant
IVF: In Vitro Fertilization
IUI: Intrauterine Insemination
LAP: Laparoscopy
LH: Luteinising Hormone
LMP: Last Menstrual Period (start date)
LSP: Low Sperm Count
MAI: Miscarriage After Infertility
MC, m/c, misc.: Miscarriage
MF: Male factor
O, OV: Ovulation
OB, OB/GYN: Obstetrician/Gynecologist
OC: Oral Contraceptives
OPU: Oocyte pick up, e
OPK/OPT: Ovulation Predictor Kit, Ovulation Predictor Test
OTC: Over-the-Counter
PCOS: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
PG: Pregnant
PGD/PGS/PGT: Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis, Pre-implantation Genetic Screening, Pre-implantation Genetic Testing
PI: Primary Infertility
PIO: Progesterone in Oil injection
PID: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
POAS: Pee on a Stick
POF: Premature Ovarian Failure
POI: Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
PUPO: Pregnant Until Proven Otherwise
RE/REI: Reproductive Endocrinologist
RM/PL: Recurrent Miscarriage/Pregnancy Loss
SA: Semen Analysis
SI: Secondary Infertility
STD: Sexually Transmitted Disease
TL/TR: Tubal Ligation, Tubal Reversal
TTC: Trying To Conceive
TTCAR: Trying to Conceive After Reversal
TVOR: Transvaginal Oocyte Retrieval
TWW: Two-week wait
TX: Treatment
US: Ultrasound
V/VR: Vasectomy, Vasectomy Reversal
Want to find out more?
If you have any questions, you can arrange a fertility chat with one of our friendly patient care team.
For health and wellness information on increasing your chances of conception, see our fertility news page. You can also download our e-book below on the common toxins to avoid, and how to your own healthy cleaning products.
Image by Piotr Laskawski via Unsplash