If you’re hoping for a BFP after your TWW is over, you’re probably TTC. If that sentence was completely confusing, we feel your pain! When you’re trying to conceive, you quickly realize that there are so many words, mostly in the form of acronyms, that it can be overwhelming.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide to common terms you might come across when browsing online fertility forums and communities. Refer to this list throughout your journey to conception and bookmark it when you get a positive pregnancy test.
Why do people use TTC Lingo?
In short, it creates a sense of community! You’re probably feeling a lot of emotions when you’re trying to conceive – excitement, nervousness, anxiety, and more. Connecting with a group of like-minded people online can help you gain knowledge and feel supported. As you learn a specific language, you feel like you’re part of a community.
TTC language also saves time when participating in forums. After all, typing “EWCM” is faster than “egg white cervical mucus” (a thin, runny vaginal discharge that resembles raw egg white and indicates peak fertility).
TTC and fertility conditions
Are you planning to join an online community of people trying to get pregnant? Here are some terms you’re likely to come across.
TTC : Trying to get pregnant
TTCAL : Trying to get pregnant after a loss, such as a miscarriage or stillbirth
AF : Aunt Flow, which refers to your monthly period
BBT : Basal Body Temperature. This is your temperature when you first wake up in the morning. It can be used to track your menstrual cycle and fertility cycle.
BC : Contraception in any form, including pills, condoms, injections, etc.
BCP : Birth control pills
CD : Cycle Day, indicates which day of your cycle you are in. CD1 is the first day of your period.
CF: Cervical fluid
CM : Cervical mucus
DPO : Days post ovulation or the number of days since the last ovulation.
EWCM : Egg white cervical mucus, which is a clear, slippery discharge that indicates you are likely ovulating.
hCG : Human chorionic gonadotropin, a pregnancy hormone detected in home pregnancy tests.
If : Infertility
LH : Luteinizing hormone, secreted by the ovaries during ovulation.
LP : Luteal phase, the second half of the menstrual cycle, which begins immediately after ovulation.
MC : Abortion
MF : Male factor infertility. This indicates that the problem with infertility is more likely to be with the man than the woman.
MMC : Missed miscarriage, which is a miscarriage that is not diagnosed because your body has not yet recognized the miscarriage.
NTNP = not trying to prevent pregnancy. Use this abbreviation if a couple is not actively trying to get pregnant but is not preventing pregnancy with contraception.
O : Ovulation The main event in your cycle if you are trying to get pregnant occurs when the ovary releases a mature egg.
OPK or OPT : Ovulation prediction kit or ovulation prediction test. These tests can identify your fertile days during your menstrual cycle.
PCOS : Polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that can cause fertility problems due to an imbalance of reproductive hormones.
PMS : Premenstrual syndrome
POF/POI : Premature ovarian failure/primary ovarian insufficiency. These terms describe a condition where a woman’s ovaries stop functioning before the age of 40.
RPL : Recurrent pregnancy loss, a term used when a person has had multiple miscarriages.
Abbreviations related to pregnancy testing
The language we provide below will be helpful in terms of knowing whether you are actually pregnant this cycle or whether the wait for pregnancy is still ongoing.
BD : Baby dance is intercourse that is timed correctly during the menstrual cycle to increase the chances of conceiving a child.
Beta : Beta hCG. This pregnancy blood test measures levels of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), especially early in pregnancy.
BFN : Big Fat Negative, meaning a negative pregnancy test
BFP : Big Fat Positive, meaning a positive pregnancy test
BMS : Sex for the Child (similar to BD)
DTD : Do It, another term referring to child sex
EPT : Early Pregnancy Test, which is a pregnancy test performed before a missed period.
FMU : First Morning Urine. Especially when testing early, it is most effective to use the first urine you produce in the morning (or upon waking) for a home pregnancy test because pregnancy hormones are at their highest concentration at this time.
HPT : Home Pregnancy Test
PG : Pregnant
POAS : Urination on a Stick, which is a reference to a home pregnancy test
TWW : Wait two weeks. This term describes the two weeks between ovulation and your next period. During this time, people trying to get pregnant often analyze symptoms and hope for a positive pregnancy test.
General pregnancy conditions
Once you see those two pink lines—or “BFP” as they call them—it’s time to head to the pregnancy forum. You’ll find yourself in a group of people who are more concerned with their EDD (Estimated Due Date) than their TWW (Two Week Wait). Check out our pregnancy-related terms so you can act quickly.
EDD : Estimated due date (EDD) refers to the date of delivery, which is calculated based on the first day of your last menstrual period or the date of conception.
GTT : Glucose Tolerance Test. This blood test, which is done between weeks 24 and 28, detects gestational diabetes through a person’s blood sugar levels.
LMP : Last menstrual period. The first day of your last menstrual period is often used to date pregnancy.
United States : Ultrasound. This routine test is done during pregnancy and allows you to see your developing baby.
WNL : Within normal range. Some people use this term to refer to normal blood test results.
Well wishes and the language of society
Fertility and pregnancy communities are full of support. This situation can help you encourage others through online comments.
Baby Dust : Good luck and I hope your pregnancy test is positive.
BOB : Baby on the brain is a term used to describe the inability to focus on anything other than getting pregnant or getting pregnant.
BV : Childish mood, another way to wish good luck on the TTC journey
CB : A cycling buddy is someone who is on a similar pregnancy journey as you and allows for a greater connection.
DH : Dear husband/darling
Deutsche Welle : Dear wife/my dear
NSFW : Not safe/not suitable for work
Infertility conditions and assisted reproductive technology (ART).
If you’ve been trying to conceive for more than a year (or more than six months if you’re over 35), you may want to seek the advice of a reproductive endocrinologist. Here, we’ve compiled terms related to assisted reproductive technology that may be helpful when browsing blogs, forums, and online communities.
AI : Artificial insemination, an infertility treatment that involves placing sperm directly into the reproductive tract.
AH : Assisted Incubation, a fertility procedure that can increase the likelihood of embryo implantation.
art : Assisted reproductive technology is a term used to describe any technique other than sexual intercourse to achieve pregnancy.
BW : Blood work
DPR : Days Post Retrieval, which indicates how many days have passed since egg retrieval
DPT : Days Post Transfer, which indicates how many days have passed since the embryo transfer
DP3DT : Days after 3-day transfer, which indicates how many days have passed since the embryo was transferred to the uterus, assuming this occurred after three days of embryo development in the lab. 6DP3DT would essentially be 9dpo.
DP5DT : Days after five-day transfer, which indicates how many days have passed since the embryo was transferred to the uterus, assuming this occurred after five days of embryo development in the laboratory.
ENDO: Endometriosis
ER : Egg retrieval, a procedure in which eggs are removed from the ovaries.
ET : Embryo transfer, a procedure in which an embryo is transferred to the uterus.
FET : Frozen embryo transfer, a procedure in which a frozen embryo is thawed and then transferred into the uterus.
FF : Fertility Friend, a popular app used for fertility tracking
Frosty : Frozen embryo
ICI : Intracervical insemination, a method of artificial insemination that involves placing sperm directly into the cervix.
ICSI : Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, a method of artificial insemination that involves placing a single sperm into one of your eggs.
IUI : Intrauterine insemination, a method of artificial insemination in which sperm is placed directly into the uterus, where it can get close to the egg.
IVF : In vitro fertilization. During this infertility treatment, eggs and sperm are combined in a laboratory and the fertilized egg is implanted into a person’s uterus.
OTC : Over-the-counter, usually for medications
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 sperm, usually when addressing fertility problems.
SART : Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology
STIMS : Refers to a drug that stimulates the ovaries during fertility treatment.
