Pregnancy acronyms explained
Trying for a baby or pregnant and perplexed by all those pesky acronyms you find in chatrooms? Just what exactly is a BFP? And would you rather have one of those than a COW?
Don't worry, you're not alone. So to help you, we've compiled a list of all the most common pregnancy acronyms with an explanation of what each one means. Hopefully it will shed a bit of light on all those weird and wonderful phrases which you feel you should know but are too embarrassed to ask about. Have a read, get your hubby to test you and you'll be communicating with your friends in all the latest pregnancy lingo in no time! GL, whether you're TTC or are PG already, in which case we hope you don't suffer from any severe bouts of MS!
The most common pregnancy acronyms deciphered:
2WW: Two-week wait (the time from the end of your fertile period until you can take your pregnancy test)
AF: Aunt Flo (your period)
AI: Artificial insemination
BBT: Basal body temperature
BD: Baby dance (sex)
BFN: Big fat negative (test)
BFP: Big fat positive (test)
CD: Cycle day
CM: Cervical mucous
COW: Curse of womanhood (period)
CSM: Can't stop smiling (due to positive pregnancy result)
DE: Donor eggs
DPO: Days post ovulation
EDD: Estimated due date
ENDO: Endometriosis
EPT: Early pregnancy test
FHR: Fetal heart rate
FMU: First morning urine (optimum time to take pregnancy test)
FSH: Follicle stimulating hormone
FV: Fertile vibes
GD: Gestational diabetes
GL: Good luck
GTT: Glucose Tolerance Test
HCT: Healthcare practitioner
HPT: Home pregnancy test
HRT: Hormone Replacement Therapy
IF: Infertility
IVF: In vitro fertilization
LMP: Last menstrual period
LSP: Low sperm count
M/S: Morning sickness
MC: Miscarriage
OPK: Ovulation predictor kit
OTTC: Overweight and trying to conceive
OW: Overweight
PCO: Polycystic Ovaries
PG: Pregnant
PID: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
PMS: Pre-menstrual syndrome
RPL: Recurrent pregnancy loss
SA: Semen analysis
STD: Sexually transmitted disease
TTC: Trying to conceive
US: Ultrasound
VR: Vasectomy reversal
Hopefully that's cleared a few things up; we've certainly learned a lot! Now visit the pregnancy area of our chat and answer forum and get practising all your new-found terms.
Published: September 2008
Last Modified:
Mothercare
ELC
