If you’re hoping for a BFP after the TWW is finally over, you’re probably TTC. If that sentence was totally confusing, we feel your pain! When you’re trying to get pregnant, you’ll quickly find that there’s tons of lingo out there, mainly in the form of acronyms, that can get pretty overwhelming.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide of commonly used terms you might encounter asyou browse online forums and fertility communities. Refer to this list during your journey to conception, and bookmark it once you get a positive pregnancy test, too.
Why Do People Use TTC Lingo?
In short, it builds a sense of community! You’re likely feeling a host of emotions as you try to conceive—excitement, nervousness, apprehension, and much more. Connecting with a group of like-minded people online can help you gain knowledge and feel supported. As you learn the specific lingo, you’ll feel more like a part of the community.
The TTC lingo also saves some time when engaging in forums. After all, writing "EWCM" is quicker than "egg white cervical mucus" (the thin, stretchy vaginal discharge that resembles raw egg whites and indicates peak fertility).
TTC and Fertility Terms
Planning to join an online forum with people who are trying to get pregnant? Here are some of the terms that you’ll likely come across.
TTC: Trying to conceive
TTCAL: Trying to conceive after a loss, such as miscarriage or stillbirth
AF: Aunt Flow, which refers to your monthly period
BBT: Basal body temperature. This is your temperature upon first waking in the morning; it can be used to track menstrual cycles and fertility.
BC: Birth control of any form, including pills, condoms, injections, etc.
BCP: Birth control pills
CD: Cycle day, indicating which day of your cycle you’re currently on. CD1 is the first day of your period.
CF:Cervical fluid
CM: Cervical mucus
DPO: Days past ovulation, or the number of days since you ovulated
EWCM: Egg white cervical mucus, which is a clear, slippery discharge that indicates you’re likely ovulating
hCG: Human chorionic gonadotropin, a pregnancy hormone that's detected on home pregnancy tests
IF: Infertility
LH: Luteinizing hormone, which is released by your ovaries during ovulation
LP: Luteal phase, the second half of your menstrual cycle, which begins immediately after ovulation
MC: Miscarriage
MF: Male factor infertility. This indicates the male has infertility issues, rather than the female.
MMC: Missed miscarriage, which is a pregnancy loss that goes undiagnosed because your body hasn't yet recognized the miscarriage
NTNP =Not trying not preventing. Use this acronym if the couple isn't actively trying to get pregnant, but they're not preventing pregnancy with birth control.
O: Ovulation. The main event in your cycle if you’re trying to conceive, ovulation happens when the ovary releases a mature egg.
OPK or OPT: Ovulation predictor kit or ovulation predictor test.These tests can detect your fertile days during the menstrual cycle.
PCOS: Polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that can cause difficulty conceiving as a result of unbalanced reproductive hormones
PMS: Premenstrual syndrome
POF/POI: Premature ovarian failure/primary ovarian insufficiency. These terms describe a condition in which a woman's ovaries stop working before age 40.
RPL: Recurrent pregnancy loss, a term used when a person has multiple miscarriages
Acronyms Related to Pregnancy Testing
The lingo we’ve listed below will come in handy when it's time to learn whether you’re actually pregnant this cycle, or if the wait for conception continues.
BD: Baby dance, which is intercourse that’s timed properly during the menstrual cycle to enhance the chances of conceiving a baby
Beta: Beta hCG. This pregnancy blood test measures beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)levels, especially in early pregnancy.
BFN: Big fat negative, indicating a negative pregnancy test
BFP: Big fat positive, indicating a positive pregnancy test
BMS: Baby-making sex (similar to BD)
DTD: Do the deed, yet another term referring to baby-making sex
EPT: Early pregnancy test, which is a pregnancy test taken before the missed period
FMU: First-morning urine. Especially when you’re testing early, it’s most effective to use the first urine you produce in the morning (or after waking) for a home pregnancy test, since the pregnancy hormones are most concentrated at this time.
HPT: Home pregnancy test
PG: Pregnant
POAS: Pee on a stick, which is a reference to taking a home pregnancy test
TWW: Two-week wait. This term describes the two weeks between ovulation and your next period. During this timeframe, people trying to conceive often analyze symptoms and hope for a positive pregnancy test.
General Pregnancy Terms
Once you see those two pink lines—or a “BFP” as they say—it’s time to move to a pregnancy forum. You’ll find yourself immersed in a group of people worried more about their EDD (estimated due date) than the TWW (two-week wait). Consult our pregnancy-related terms to get up to speed quickly.
EDD: Estimated due date. EDD indicates the date your baby is due, calculated based on either the first day of your last menstrual period or the date of conception.
GTT: Glucose tolerance test. Performed between weeks 24 and 28 weeks, this blood test diagnoses gestational diabetes through someone's blood sugar levels.
LMP: Last menstrual period. The first day of your last period is often used to date a pregnancy.
US: Ultrasound. This routine test is performed during pregnancy and allows you to see your growing baby.
WNL: Within normal limits. Some people use this term to refer to normal blood test results.
Well Wishes and Community Lingo
The fertility and pregnancy communities are full of support. These terms will help you cheer on other people through online comments.
Baby dust: Good luck and wishes for a positive pregnancy test
BOB: Baby on the brain, a term used to describe the inability to concentrate on anything but getting or being pregnant
BV: Baby vibes, another way of wishing good luck on the TTC journey
CB: Cycle buddy, who is someone on a similar pregnancy journey as you, allowing for greater connection
DH: Dear/darling husband
DW: Dear/darling wife
NSFW: Not safe/suitable for work
Infertility and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Terms
If you’ve been trying to conceive for more than a year (or more than six months if you’re over 35 years old), you may want to seek the advice of a reproductive endocrinologist. Here, we rounded up terms related to assisted reproductive technology that might come in handy when perusing blogs, forums, and online communities.
AI: Artificial insemination, a fertility treatment that involves placing sperm directly in the reproductive tract
AH: Assisted hatching, a fertility procedure that can make an embryo more likely to implant
ART: Assisted reproductive technology, a term used to describe any technique aside from sex to create a pregnancy
BW: Bloodwork
DPR: Days post retrieval, which indicates how many days it’s been since an egg retrieval
DPT: Days post transfer, which indicates how many days it’s been since an embryo transfer
DP3DT: Days post three-day transfer, which indicates how many days it’s been since an embryo was transferred into the uterus, assuming it happened after three days of embryo growth in the lab. 6DP3DT would essentially be 9dpo.
DP5DT: Days post five-day transfer, which indicates how many days it’s been since an embryo was transferred to the uterus, assuming it happened after five days of embryo growth in the lab
ENDO: Endometriosis
ER: Egg retrieval, a procedure in which eggs are retrieved from the ovaries
ET: Embryo transfer, a procedure in which an embryo is transferred into the uterus
FET: Frozen embryo transfer, a procedure in which a frozen embryo is thawed and then transferred to the uterus
FF: Fertility Friend, a popular app used for tracking fertility
Frostie: A frozen embryo
ICI: Intracervical insemination, an artificial insemination procedure that involves putting sperm directly into the cervix
ICSI: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, an artificial insemination procedure that involves putting a single sperm into one of your eggs
IUI: Intrauterine insemination, an artificial insemination procedure in which sperm is placed directly into your uterus, where it can get closer to the egg
IVF: In vitro fertilization. During this infertility treatment, an egg and sperm are combined in a laboratory, and the fertilized egg is implanted in the person's uterus.
OTC: Over-the-counter, usually about medication
RE: Reproductive endocrinologist. These types of doctors specialize in issues related to infertility in both women and men.
SA: Semen analysis, a test to measure the quality and quantity of semen, usually when dealing with fertility problems
SART: The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology
STIMS: References medication that stimulates the ovaries during fertility treatment
