TTC Acronyms & Glossary
Your complete guide to fertility terms and abbreviations.
Most Common Terms
- TTC: Trying to Conceive
- BFP/BFN: Big Fat Positive/Negative (pregnancy test result)
- DPO: Days Past Ovulation
- OPK: Ovulation Predictor Kit
- TWW: Two Week Wait (between ovulation and testing)
TTC Basics
- TTC
- Trying to Conceive — Actively trying to get pregnant.
- NTNP
- Not Trying, Not Preventing — Not using contraception but not actively tracking or timing intercourse.
- WTT
- Waiting to Try — Planning to TTC in the future but not yet started.
- BD
- Baby Dance — A euphemism for sex, particularly timed intercourse for conception.
- DTD
- Do/Did the Deed — Another term for sex.
- DH/DW/DP/SO
- Dear Husband/Dear Wife/Dear Partner/Significant Other — Terms for one's partner.
Cycle & Timing Terms
- CD
- Cycle Day — Day of your menstrual cycle, where CD1 is the first day of your period.
- DPO
- Days Past Ovulation — Counting from the day after ovulation (e.g., 10 DPO means 10 days after ovulation).
- O / O Day
- Ovulation / Ovulation Day — The day the egg is released from the ovary.
- TWW / 2WW
- Two Week Wait — The ~14 days between ovulation and when you can reliably test for pregnancy.
- FW
- Fertile Window — The ~6-day period when conception is possible (5 days before ovulation through ovulation day).
- LP
- Luteal Phase — The second half of your cycle, from ovulation to the start of your next period (typically 10-16 days).
- LPD
- Luteal Phase Defect — When the luteal phase is too short (less than 10 days) for implantation.
- AF
- Aunt Flo — Slang for your period/menstruation.
Testing & Results
- BFP
- Big Fat Positive — A positive pregnancy test!
- BFN
- Big Fat Negative — A negative pregnancy test.
- HPT
- Home Pregnancy Test — Over-the-counter pregnancy test.
- OPK
- Ovulation Predictor Kit — Test that detects LH surge to predict ovulation.
- FRER
- First Response Early Result — A popular, highly sensitive pregnancy test brand.
- FMU
- First Morning Urine — Your first pee of the day (most concentrated, best for pregnancy tests).
- SMU
- Second Morning Urine — Your second pee of the day.
- Squinter
- A very faint line on a pregnancy test that you have to squint to see.
- Dye Stealer
- A pregnancy test where the test line is darker than the control line (indicates strong hCG).
- Indent / Evap
- Indent Line / Evaporation Line — False lines on tests that aren't true positives.
Tracking Methods
- BBT
- Basal Body Temperature — Your lowest resting temperature, taken first thing in the morning. Rises after ovulation.
- CM
- Cervical Mucus — Fluid produced by the cervix that changes throughout your cycle.
- EWCM
- Egg White Cervical Mucus — Clear, stretchy, slippery mucus that indicates peak fertility.
- CP
- Cervical Position — The position and firmness of your cervix, which changes during your cycle.
- FF
- Fertility Friend — Popular fertility tracking app.
- FAM
- Fertility Awareness Method — Tracking ovulation signs to identify fertile days.
- TCOYF
- Taking Charge of Your Fertility — Influential book by Toni Weschler about fertility awareness.
- Temping
- The practice of taking your BBT daily to track ovulation.
Hormones & Medical Terms
- LH
- Luteinizing Hormone — Hormone that surges 24-48 hours before ovulation (what OPKs detect).
- FSH
- Follicle Stimulating Hormone — Hormone that stimulates egg development; tested to assess ovarian function.
- hCG
- Human Chorionic Gonadotropin — The "pregnancy hormone" detected by pregnancy tests.
- AMH
- Anti-Müllerian Hormone — Blood test that indicates ovarian reserve (egg quantity).
- TSH
- Thyroid Stimulating Hormone — Thyroid function test; abnormal levels can affect fertility.
- RE
- Reproductive Endocrinologist — A fertility specialist doctor.
- OB/GYN
- Obstetrician/Gynecologist — Doctor specializing in women's reproductive health.
- PCOS
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome — Common hormonal condition that can affect ovulation.
- Endo
- Endometriosis — Condition where tissue similar to uterine lining grows outside the uterus.
- POI/POF
- Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/Premature Ovarian Failure — When ovaries stop functioning before age 40.
- MFI
- Male Factor Infertility — Fertility issues related to sperm.
- SA
- Semen Analysis — Test that evaluates sperm count, motility, and morphology.
- HSG
- Hysterosalpingogram — X-ray procedure to check if fallopian tubes are open.
- SIS / Saline Sono
- Saline Infusion Sonogram — Ultrasound with saline to evaluate uterine cavity.
Treatment & Procedure Terms
- IUI
- Intrauterine Insemination — Procedure where sperm is placed directly in the uterus.
- IVF
- In Vitro Fertilization — Eggs are retrieved, fertilized in a lab, then embryos are transferred to the uterus.
- ICSI
- Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection — Single sperm injected directly into egg (used in IVF).
- FET
- Frozen Embryo Transfer — Transfer of a previously frozen embryo.
- ER
- Egg Retrieval — Procedure to collect eggs during IVF.
- ET
- Embryo Transfer — Procedure to place embryo(s) in the uterus.
- PGT / PGS / PGD
- Preimplantation Genetic Testing — Testing embryos for genetic abnormalities before transfer.
- Trigger Shot
- Injection of hCG to trigger ovulation at a specific time.
- Stims
- Stimulation medications used to produce multiple eggs for IVF.
- Clomid
- Brand name for clomiphene citrate, an oral medication to induce ovulation.
- Letrozole / Femara
- Oral medication used to induce ovulation (often preferred over Clomid for PCOS).
Community Terms
- Unicorn / Rainbow Baby
- A baby born after loss (miscarriage, stillbirth, etc.).
- MC / M/C
- Miscarriage — Pregnancy loss before 20 weeks.
- CP
- Chemical Pregnancy — Very early miscarriage, often around the time of expected period.
- MMC
- Missed Miscarriage — When the embryo stops developing but the body hasn't recognized the loss.
- Ectopic
- Pregnancy that implants outside the uterus (usually in a fallopian tube).
- TW
- Trigger Warning — Alert before potentially sensitive content.
- Babydust
- Good luck wishes for conception (a gentler version of "good luck").
- Cycle Buddy
- Someone in the same cycle day or DPO as you, often for mutual support.
- SS / Symptom Spotting
- Analyzing every symptom during the TWW to guess if you're pregnant.
- POAS
- Pee On A Stick — Taking a pregnancy or ovulation test.
💡 Bookmark This Page!
TTC communities use these terms constantly. Keep this glossary handy as a reference when you encounter unfamiliar abbreviations in forums, apps, or support groups.
You're Now Fluent in TTC!
The fertility community has developed its own language, and now you're equipped to understand it. From tracking your CM and BBT to waiting for that BFP during the TWW, you'll know exactly what everyone's talking about.
Wishing you all the babydust! 💚