If you are pregnant, or trying to get pregnant, you have probably heard a lot of acronyms thrown around. BD, TTC, BFP, and more! You are probably questioning what does TTC mean in pregnancy? These common acronyms are commonly found in the online message boards or online support groups for infertility, trying to conceive, and pregnancy. It can be confusing when you encounter them for the first time. Once you understand their meaning, you will be a pro at using them in no time. In this blog post, we will break down all the most common trying to conceive and pregnancy acronyms and what they mean for you. Keep reading to learn more!
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AF – Aunt Flo – This is referring to your menstrual cycle and usually the first day your menstrual period actually starts.
BBT – Basal Body Temperature – Tracking your BBT is a way to track your cycle, confirm ovulation, and predict when your next period will start.
BCP – Birth Control Pills – BCP are the monthly oral contraceptives that many women take.
BD – Baby Dance – Baby dance, baby dancing, or big deed are all another word for sexual intercourse. Make sure you have unprotected intercourse so you have a chance at pregnancy, if that is what you are wanting to achieve. BD can also stand for baby dust, which means you are wishing someone good luck and to get a positive pregnancy test.
BETA– A beta is a blood test taken by a fertility doctor or other health practitioner. It checks the level of the pregnancy hormone HCG in your blood and can confirm pregnancy. There are often two blood tests done at least 48 hours apart to make sure the numbers are properly rising. It will be a negative pregnancy test if the HCG level is below a five.
BFN – Big Fat Negative – A BFN on a pregnancy test means you have a negative result and are not currently pregnant.
BFP – Big Fat Positive – A BFP on a pregnancy test means you are pregnant!
CB – Cycle Buddy – Someone else who is around the same point in their cycle as you. Most likely you would be testing around the same time.
CD – Cycle Day- The day of your cycle that you are currently on. For example, CD15 would be the 15th day of your cycle. This can also refer to the days of a treatment cycle if you are doing fertility treatment.
CM – Cervical Mucus – This is the mucus that is produced by your cervix. It changes throughout your cycle, and can be used to predict ovulation. It is also sometimes referred to as cervical fluid.
CP – Chemical Pregnancy – A chemical pregnancy is a very early miscarriage. You may get a positive test for a few days, but then start your period soon after. Sometimes, you will not even realize you are pregnant during this time.
DE – Donor Eggs – Donor eggs are an option when you are doing an IVF cycle and you have issues with your own eggs. The donor will go through the egg retrieval portion of the cycle. The doctor will fertilize the donor eggs with your partner’s sperm or donor sperm. The doctor can then transfer the embryo(s) into your uterus.
DO– Doctor’s Office – DO just refers to any doctor’s office that you are visiting, such as the RE, OBGYN, or MFM.
DP – Dear Partner – This is in reference to your husband, wife, or partner instead of using their name.
DPO – Days Past Ovulation – This is typically the number of days past your ovulation day you are. If you are two days after your ovulation day, you are 2 DPO.
EDD – Estimated Due Date – The estimated due date is the date your OBGYN or midwife will give you when you are pregnant. It is the date they estimate your baby will be born around.
FET – Frozen Embryo Transfer – A FET is a cycle where you use a frozen embryo that has been created during an IVF cycle.
FF – Fertility Friend – Fertility Friend is an online fertility charting site and app. You can track different things in your cycle such as basal body temperature, cervical mucus, and other signs.
FMU – First Morning Urine – This is usually in reference to taking a home pregnancy test. The recommendation is to take a test in the morning when you wake up, as the urine is more concentrated and more likely to pick up the HCG if you are pregnant.
FRER – First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test – A common home pregnancy test used to test for early pregnancy.
FW – Fertile Window – The fertile window is the time during your cycle around ovulation. It is when you are most likely to get pregnant. You usually have 2-3 most fertile days before you ovulate. This is the best time to try to get pregnant.
GN – Good News – This can be in reference to any type of good news you may have to share!
HCG – Human Chorionic Gonadotropin – HCG is the pregnancy hormone that is in your body when you are pregnant. It is the hormone that pregnancy tests use to give a positive result. The levels of beta HCG can also be an indicator of how far along in pregnancy you might be.
HPT – Home Pregnancy Test – This is the typical urine pregnancy test that you would take at home.
ICS – Intracervical Insemination – This process involves placing the sperm directly in the cervix. Unlike an IUI cycle, the doctor does not have to wash the sperm since it is not going into the uterus.
IUI – Intrauterine Insemination – An IUI is a fertility treatment where sperm is collected and then inserted into the uterus around the time of ovulation. It is a form of artificial insemination that can increase your chances of getting pregnant by getting the sperm closer to the egg in the fallopian tubes.
IVF – In Vitro Fertilization – This is a process where a doctor retrieves eggs from the ovaries and fertilizes them with sperm in a lab. The doctor then transfers the embryos directly into the uterus.
LE – Line Eyes – This term is usually in reference to asking if others see a line on your pregnancy test or if you are just seeing things and have “line eye”.
LH – Luteinizing Hormone – LH is the hormone that spikes before you ovulate. The pituitary gland produces this hormone and it is one of the most important hormones during your cycle.
LP – Luteal Phase – The luteal phase is the second half of your cycle, from ovulation until you get your period. It typically lasts around 12-14 days.
MC – Miscarriage – A miscarriage is the medical term for when a pregnancy ends on its own before 20 weeks gestation.
MFI – Male Factor Infertility – MFI is infertility that is related to the male instead of the female. This is usually an issue with sperm count or sperm quality.
OPK – Ovulation Predictor Kit or Ovulation Prediction Kit – These are test strips that test for the level of LH (Luteinizing Hormone) in your urine. The LH levels will spike when you are about to ovulate. Taking these ovulation tests helps you figure out when you are ovulating and give you a better chance of pinpointing your fertile time of the month.
PCOS– Polycystic Ovary Syndrome – PCOS is a hormone disorder that is a leading cause of female infertility. The main symptoms usually include irregular periods, lack of ovulation, excess testerone, polycystic ovaries, and sometimes weight gain. It is a complex disorder that affects each woman differently and does not have one treatment that works for all.
PNV – Prenatal Vitamin – Taking a prenatal vitamin is a recommendation for all women who are trying to conceive, and for all pregnant women. It contains extra folic acid, which can help prevent birth defects of the brain and spine.
RE – Reproductive Endocrinologist – An RE is a health care provider that is a fertility specialist. They can perform tests to diagnose why you may be having problems getting pregnant. These doctors also do monitored fertility treatments in their office such as an IUI and IVF. Their goal is to help you get pregnant.
TCOYF – Taking Charge of Your Fertility – This is a book by the author Toni Weschler. It is the ultimate resource when it comes to learning about your fertility and cycle. It goes into great detail about how to chart your cycles and use that information to help you get pregnant or avoid pregnancy. One of the best ways to understand your cycle and your body is to track your cycles. This book will give you all the information you need to start doing that.
TI– Timed Sexual Intercourse – This is usually in reference to a fertility treatment cycle. You will be told to have unprotected sex on particular days to give you the best shot at getting pregnant.
TTC – Trying to Conceive – You are trying to conceive when you are actively trying to get pregnant. The amount of time couples will spend TTC can vary based on if they have any health conditions or specific fertility issues.
TWW– Two-Week Wait – The two-week wait is the time between ovulation and when you would expect to get your period. If you are trying to conceive, it can be a very long and stressful 12-14 days!
US – Ultrasound – You can have ultrasounds for many different reasons both when trying to get pregnant and while you are pregnant. Fertility doctors use them both for infertility diagnosis and during fertility treatment. You will also likely have at least a couple of ultrasounds during pregnancy.
ZIFT – Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer – This is simliar to a cycle of IVF, except the fertilized egg is put into the fallopian tube instead of the woman’s uterus.
As you can see, there are a lot of acronyms out there related to pregnancy! This can be overwhelming at first, but do not worry. Once you get the hang of it, it will all start to make sense. You should now be able to go to any online message board, infertility community, or pregnancy forums with ease and understand what everyone is referring to. If you have any questions on acronyms not listed or would like to share your own experience with acronyms, please leave a comment below! Good luck on your TTC and fertility journey!
You may also like:
Tips to Boost Fertility and Get Pregnant Quickly with PCOS
How Many Weeks is Halfway Through Pregnancy (What You Need to Know)
The Best Pregnancy Books for New and Expecting Dads
How Early Can You Take a Pregnancy Test (For Best Results)
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