“What about Cycling Questions Abroad? We can assist you with getting the answers you need.”In the world of infertility there are many acronyms for pretty much everything. PVED has put together a rather long list of acronyms that we hope you find helpful.
These have been organized in alphabetical order.
| 2WW | Two week wait |
| 16dp3dt | 16 days past 3 day transfer |
| ACA | Anti-cardiolipin Antibodies |
| ACTH | Adrenal Corticotropic Hormone |
| AF | Aunt Flo (menstruation) |
| AFA | American Fertility Association |
| AH, AZH | Assisted Hatching |
| AHR | Assisted Human Reproduction |
| AI | Artificial Insemination |
| ANA | Anti-nuclear Antibodies |
| APA | Anti-phospholipid Antibodies |
| APTT | Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time |
| ART | Assisted Reproductive Technology |
| ASA | Anti-sperm Antibody |
| ASRM | American Society of Reproductive Medicine |
| ATA | Anti-thyroid Antibody |
| AVA | Anti-ovarian Antibody |
| BBT | Basal Body Temperature |
| BCP | Birth Control Pills |
| BMS | Baby-making Sex |
| BD | Baby Dust |
| BD | Baby Dance (sexual intercourse) |
| Beta | hCG level blood test |
| BFP/BFN | Big Fat Positive/Negative |
| BMI | Body Mass Index |
| CAD | Carbohydrate Addict's Diet |
| CAH | Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia |
| CASA | Computer-assisted Semen Analysis |
| CCCT | Clomiphene Citrate Challenge Test (Clomid Challenge) |
| CD | Cycle Day |
| CD56+ | Natural Killer Cells |
| CF | Cervical Fluid |
| COH | Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation |
| CM | Cervical Mucus |
| CMV | Cytomegalovirus |
| CNM | Certified Nurse Midwife |
| CVS | Chorionic Villus Sampling |
| D&C | Dilation & Curettage |
| D&E | Dilation & Evacuation |
| DE | Donor Eggs |
| DES | Diethylstilbestrol (a synthetic estrogen) |
| DHEAS | Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate |
| DI | Donor Insemination |
| DIPI | Direct Intraperitoneal Insemination |
| DOST | Direct Oocyte-Sperm Transfer |
| DPO | Days Post-ovulation |
| Dx | Diagnosis |
| E2 | Estradiol |
| EB, | EMB Endometrial Biopsy |
| EDD | Estimated Due Date |
| ENDO | Endometriosis |
| EPT | Early Pregnancy Test |
| ER | Embryo Retrieval/Transfer |
| ET | Embryo Transfer |
| ETF | Embryo Toxic Factor |
| ETA | Embryo Toxicity Assay |
| FET | Frozen Embryo Transfer |
| FHR | Fetal Heart Rate |
| FSH | Follicle Stimulating Hormone |
| FTTA | Fertile Thoughts To All |
| GIFT | Gamete Intra-fallopian Transfer |
| GnRH | Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone |
| GP | General Practitioner |
| hCG, | HCG Human Chorionic Gonadotropin |
| HCP | Health Care Practitioner |
| HEPA | Hamster Egg Penetration Assay |
| hMG, | HMG Human Menopausal Gonadotropin |
| HP | Hannah's Prayer (Christian infertility / pregnancy loss group) |
| HPT | Home Pregnancy Test |
| HRT | Hormone Replacement Therapy |
| HSG | Hysterosalpingogram |
| IBT | Immunobead Binding Test |
| ICI | Intra-cervical Insemination |
| ICSI | Intra-cytoplasmic Sperm Injection |
| IF | Infertility |
| IM | Intra-muscular (WRT injections) |
| INCIID | International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination |
| IOR | Immature Oocyte Retrieval |
| ITI | Intra-tubal Insemination |
| IUGR | Intra-uterine Growth Retardation |
| IUI | Intra-uterine Insemination |
| IVC | Intra-vaginal Culture |
| IVF | In Vitro Fertilization |
| IVIg | Intravenous Immunoglobulin |
| LAD | Leukocyte Antibody Detection Assay |
| LAP | Laparoscopy |
| LH | Luteinizing Hormone |
| LIT | Leukocyte Immunization Therapy |
| LMP | Last Menstrual Period (start date) |
| LPD | Luteal Phase Defect |
| LUF, LUFS | Luteinized Unruptured Follicle Syndrome |
| MAI | Miscarriage After Infertility |
| MC, m/c, misc. | Miscarriage |
| MESA | Microsurgical Epididymal Sperm Aspiration |
| MFS | Maternal Fetal Specialist |
| MIFT | Micro Injection Fallopian Transfer |
| MMR | Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine |
| MRI | Magnetic Resonance Imaging |
| NEST | Non-surgical Embryonic Selective Thinning |
| NK | Natural Killer Cells (CD56+) |
| NORIF | Non-stimulated Oocyte Retrieval In (office) Fertilization |
| NP | Nurse Practitioner |
| NSA | Non-surgical Sperm Aspiration |
| OB | Obstetrician |
| OB/GYN | Obstetrician/Gynecologist |
| OHSS | Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome |
| OPK | Ovulation Predictor Kit |
| OTC | Over The Counter |
| PA | Physician's Assistant |
| PCO, PCOD | Polycystic Ovary Disease |
| PCOS | Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome |
| PCP | Primary Care Physician |
| PCT | Post Coital Test |
| PERI | Perinatologist (Maternal Fetal Specialist) |
| PESA | Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration |
| PG | Pregnant |
| PI | Primary Infertility |
| PID | Pelvic Inflammatory Disease |
| PLI | Paternal Leukocyte Immunization |
| PMS | Pre-menstrual Syndrome |
| POC | Products of Conception |
| POF | Premature Ovarian Failure |
| PROM | Premature Rupture of Membranes |
| PTSD | Post-traumatic Stress Disorder |
| PVED | Parents Via Egg Donation |
| RE | Reproductive Endocrinologist |
| R-FSH, R-hFSH | Recombinant Human Follicle Stimulating Hormone |
| RI | Reproductive Immunologist |
| RIP | Reproductive Immunophynotype |
| ROS | Reactive Oxygen Species |
| RPL | Recurrent Pregnancy Loss |
| RSA | Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion |
| Rx | Prescription |
| SPA | Sperm Penetration Assay |
| SA | Semen Analysis |
| SART | Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology |
| SCORIF | Stimulated Cycle Oocyte Retrieval In (office) Fertilization |
| SI | Secondary Infertility |
| SLE | Systemic Lupus Erythematosus |
| SPA | Sperm Penetration Assay |
| STD | Sexually Transmitted Disease |
| SUZI | Sub-zonal Insertion |
| TeBG | Testosterone-estradiol-binding Globulin |
| TESA | Testicular Sperm Aspiration |
| TESE | Testicular Sperm Extraction |
| TET | Tubal Embryo Transfer |
| TNF | Tumor Necrosis Factor |
| TORCH | Toxoplasmosis, Other, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes test |
| TRH | Thyroid-releasing Hormone |
| TSH | Thyroid Stimulating Hormone |
| TUFT | Trans-uterine Fallopian Transfer |
| Tx | Treatment |
| US, u/s | Ultrasound |
| UTI | Urinary Tract Infection |
| WBC | White Blood Cells |
| ZIFT | Zygote Intra-fallopian Transfer |
General Internet Abbreviations | |
| AFAIK | As Far As I Know |
| AOL | America Online |
| BTW | By The Way |
| CGU | Can't Get Up (as in "I've fallen and can't get up") |
| CYA | Cover Your Ass |
| DD, DS | Dear Daughter, Dear Son |
| DH | Dear Husband, Darling Husband, Designated Hitter, Damn Husband |
| DHAC | Don't/Doesn't Have A Clue |
| DITD | Down In The Dumps |
| DW | Dear Wife, Darling Wife, Damn Wife |
| FAQ | Frequently Asked Question(s) |
| FWIW | For What It's Worth |
| HTH | Hope This Helps |
| IIRC | If I Recall/Remember Correctly |
| IMHO | In My Humble Opinion, In My Honest Opinion |
| IMO | In My Opinion |
| IRC | Internet Relay Chat |
| JK | Just Kidding |
| KWIM | Know What I Mean? |
| LOL | Laughing Out Loud |
| MIL | Mother In-law (also FIL, SIL, BIL for the others) |
| NBD | No Big Deal |
| NG | Newsgroup |
| OTOH | On The Other Hand |
| POA | Plan Of Action |
| POV | Point Of View |
| ROTFL | Rolling On The Floor Laughing |
| ROTFLOL | Rolling On The Floor Laughing Out Loud |
| ROTFLMAO | Rolling On The Floor Laughing My ASS Off |
| SO | Significant Other |
| TIA | Thanks In Advance |
| TTFN | Ta Ta For Now |
| TTYS | Talk To You Soon |
| WRT | With Respect To |
| YMMV | Your Mileage May Vary |