Every profession has their own special list of acronyms that they use every day. Surrogacy and infertility is no exception! This list is dedicated to our profession’s special blend of alphabet soup.
Now you can confidently nod knowingly when we ramble on that “we’ve got FX for the 2WW” or that the “OB wants GS on MAT LV now.” You know you’re one of the cool kids when you high five your fav’ GC with an early H&H9 because their HPT POAS looks like a BFP — gotta wait for that OB confirmation, but always sending those ELV!
We’ve added all the ones we can think of, but there may be more. HTH, YMMV.
2WW – Two Week Wait
The waiting period between the transfer and the pregnancy test.
AF – Aunt Flo
Slang for menstrual period.
ART – Assisted Reproductive Technology
The technology used to achieve pregnancy.
ASRM – Americal Society of Reproductive Medicine
Americal Society of Reproductive Medicine
BCP – Birth Control Pills
Oral Contraceptives.
BFN – Big Fat Negative
Slang for a negative pregnancy test.
BFP – Big Fat Positive
Slang for a positive pregnancy test.
BW – Blood Work
Blood work
CB – Cycle Buddy
Women on the same menstrual or fertility cycle.
CD – Cycle Day
Day of your menstrual cycle.
CP – Cervical Position
Monitoring your CP helps your doctor determine when you are most fertile.
D&C – Dilation and Curettage
A procedure to remove tissue from inside your uterus.
D&E – Dilation and Evacuation
A procedure where the cervix is dilated and surgically evacuated.
DE – Donor Egg
A human egg cell provided by an egg donor.
DD, DH, DS, DW – Darling/Dear
DD- Darling/Dear Daughter
DH- Darling/Dear Husband
DS- Darling/Dear Son
DW- Darling/Dear Wife
DPO- Day Past Ovulation
DPR – Day Past Retrieval
DP3DT – Days Post 3 Day Transfer
DP5DT – Days Post 5 Day Transfer
DPT – Days Post Transfer
DX – Diagnosis
E2 – Estradiol
A female sex horomone that is the predominent estrogen throughout reproductive years.
EB/EMB – Endometrial Biopsy
A procedure where a small sample of the lining of the uterus is taken and tested.
ED – Egg Donor/Donation
When a woman donates eggs for assisted reproduction or biomedical research.
EDD – Estimated Due Date
The day labor is expected to begin.
ELV – Easy Labor Vibes
Well wishes for an easy labor.
EML – Extended Maternity Leave
ENDO – Endometriosis
A disorder where tissue that typically grows within the uterus, grows on the outside.
EPT – Early pregnancy Test
ET – Embryo Transfer
EWCM – Egg White Cervical Mucus
The most fertile of the CM.
FAM – Family Awareness Method
Tracking your menstrual cycle to determine the days you can get pregnant.
FBG – Fasting Blood Glucose
Measuring your glucose level after fasting for at least 8 hours.
FET – Frozen Embryo Transfer
FHR – Fetal Heart Rate
FIP, FIM, FIF – Former Intended (Parent, Mother, Father)
These acronyms indicate that person(s) who are trying to the parent (FIP), mother (FIM), or father (FIF). See Intended Parent.
FMU – First Morning Urine
It is recommended to use this for home pregnancy test (HPT) as it contains the highest pregnancy hormone.
FRER- First Response Early Result
A brand of home pregnancy test (HPT).
FX – Fingers Crossed 🤞
Fingers crossed is a hand gesture commonly used to wish someone luck.
GC – Gestational Carrier
A woman who volunteers to carry a pregnancy for a couple who cannot.
GD – Gestational Diabetes
GS – Gestational Surrogate
A woman who volunteers to carry a pregnancy for a couple who cannot.
GTC – Going to Conceive
GTT – Glucose Tolerance Test
Measures your body’s response to sugar.
H&H9 – Happy and Healthy 9 Months
Congratulations for a successful pregnancy and well wishes to for the mother and baby to carry to full term of 9 months.
HCG – Human Chorionic Gonadotropin
The hormone produced in the placenta that is used to detect pregnancy.
HGB – Hemoglobin
The iron containing oxygen transport metalloprotein in the red blood cells.
HOM – High Order Multiples
Multiple pregnancies with 3 or more fetuses.
HPT – Home Pregnancy Test
HSC – Hysteroscopy
A procedure that allows a doctor to look inside a uterus to determine the cause of abnormal bleeding,
HSG – Hysterosalpingogram
An X-ray that looks at the inside of the uterus and fallopian tubes and the area around them.
HTH – Hope That Helps
HX – History
ICI – Intracervical Insemination
An artificial insemination procedure that involves placing sperm directly into a women’s reproductive tract to improve the chances of pregnancy.
ICSI – Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection
An in vitro fertilization procedure in with a single sperm is injected directly into an egg.
IP, IM, IF – Intended Parent, Intended Mother, Intended Father
Intended Parents are people who are unable to have a biological child of their own through natural or in vitro processes.
Indy – Independent
A surrogacy journey completed without the aid of an agency.
Insems – Artificial Insemination
ITI – Intratubal Insemination
A more invasive procedure where sperm is placed directly into both of the fallopian tubes.
ISA – Independent Surrogacy Arrangement
IUI – Intrauterine Insemination
The placement of sperm inside a woman’s uterus to facilitate fertilization.
IVF – In Vitro Fertilization
Manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish and then transferring the embryo to the uterus to facilitate pregnancy.
LAP – Laparoscopy
A surgery that uses a thin, lighted tube put through a cut (incision) in the belly to look at the abdominal organs or the female pelvic organs.
L&D – Labor and Delivery
LMP – Last Menstrual Period
LP – Luteal Phase
The latter phase of the menstrual cycle.
LPD – Luteal Phase Defect
A disruption in a woman’s monthly menstrual cycle.
MAT LV – Maternity Leave
MC – Miscarriage
Spontaneous loss of pregnancy before the 20th week, typically before the 12th week,
MFI – Male Factor Infertility
Often occurs due to low sperm count or production of abnormal sperm.
MO – Months Old
MS – Morning Sickness
MW – Midwife
NFP – Natural Family Planning
Tracking your menstrual cycle to determine the days you can get pregnant.
NP – Nurse Practitioner
Advanced practice registered nurses.
NST – Non Stress Test
A test that monitors the babies heart rate and movement along with your contractions.
O – Ovulation
When a mature egg is released for fertilization.
O’ing – Ovulating
OB or OBGYN – Obstetrician/Gynecologist
A doctor that specializes in women’s reproductive health.
OTC – Over the Counter
Medications that can be purchased without a prescription
PBO – Pre Birth Order
The court order that predetermines parentage of a child born through surrogacy.
PCOS – Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Enlarged ovaries with small cysts on the edges caused by a hormonal disorder.
PED – Pediatrician
The medical doctor that manages the health of children from birth to age 21.
PG – Pregnant
PGD – Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis
The testing of the embryos before transfer to check for abnormalities.
PI – Primary Infertility
Couples that have not gotten pregnant after one year of unprotected copulation.
PID – Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
An infection of the female reproductive organs.
PIP, PIM, PIF – Potential Intended (Parent, Mother, Father)
Intended Parent(s) who have not yet engaged in a surrogacy contract. See Intended Parent.
PIO- Progesterone in OiL
An injectable form of progesterone which is an essential pregnancy hormone.
PMS – Premenstrual Syndrome
The psychological and emotional symptoms of a woman’s period.
POAS – Pee On A Stick
To take a home pregnancy test.
PPD – Postpartum Depression
Depression that occurs after childbirth.
PROM – Premature Rupture of Membranes
Rupture or breakage of the amniotic sac more than 1 hour before the onset of labor.
PTC – Preterm Labor
Labor that begins before the 37th week of pregnancy.
RE – Reproductive Endocrinologist
A surgical subspecialty of OB’s that are trained in reproductive medicine and hormone function in regards to reproduction and infertility.
RPL – Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
Two or more miscarriages before 20 weeks of pregnancy.
RSP – Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion
Disease separate from infertility that is defined by two or more failed pregnancies.
SAAF – Stay Away Aunt Flo
SAHD – Stay At Home Dad
SAHM – Stay At Home Mom
SCH – Subchorionic Hematoma/ Subchorionic Hemorrhage
A pooling of blood between the membrane surrounding the embryo and uterine wall; the most common cause of first trimester bleeding.
SD – Sperm Donor
A male that donates sperm for the purpose of impregnating a woman that is not their partner.
SET – Single Embryo Transfer
The transfer of a single embryo.
SHG – Sonohysterogram
A saline solution ultrasound.
SHOW – Soft High Open Wet
Condition of cervix during ovulation.
SI – Secondary Infertility
The inability to become or carry to term a pregnancy after a biological child is born with no reproductive assistance.
SO – Significant Other
STD – Sexually Transmitted Disease
SubQ – Subcutaneous Injection
A shot given in the fat layer between the skin and muscle.
SW – Social Worker
TS – Traditional Surrogacy
Surrogacy in which the surrogate herself provides the egg and she is artificially inseminated or undergoes IVF with the IF or
TTC – Trying to Conceive
US – Ultrasound
UTI – Urinary Tract Infection
WAH – Work at Home
WAHP, WAHM, WAHD – Work at Home (Parent, Mom, Dad)
WBC – White Blood Cells
WM, WD – Working Mom, Working Dad
X-AFP – Expanded Alpha-Protein Test
A prenatal test to determine the likelihood that a fetus is affected with trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), trisomy 18, and certain types of birth defects.
YMMV – Your Mileage May Vary
Your experience may be different than the one being described.