Understanding Fertility Treatment Acronyms: Your Essential Guide

We know there are a lot of new acronyms in reproductive health, so we’ve tried to summarize many of the most commonly used ones below to help make things a little clearer. 

 

 

AH: Assisted Hatching

A procedure that helps the embryo “hatch” by making a small crack on the outer edge of the embryo to help with implantation.

 

AMH: Anti-Mullerian Hormone

A hormone that indicates a patient’s ovarian reserve.

 

APLA: Antiphospholipid Antibodies

This condition can cause a patient's immune system to create antibodies that attack tissues in their body, which could complicate a pregnancy.

 

ART: Assisted Reproductive Technology

A catchall term for the science that goes into fertility treatment.

 

ASA: Antisperm Antibody

In rare cases, women can make these antibodies if they have an allergic reaction to sperm, which impacts chances of conceiving.

 

BBT: Basal Body Temperature

This is the body’s temperature at rest. Ovulation can usually cause an uptick in BBT.

 

BC/BCP: Birth Control Pills

A doctor might prescribe birth control pills to time the start of a patient's egg retrieval cycle.

 

BhCG: Beta hCG Test

A pregnancy test that provides results based on a patient’s hCG levels.

 

B/W: Bloodwork

A provider might use this shorthand to indicate follow up testing and procedures.

 

CBAVD: Congenital Bilateral Absence of Vas Deferens

A condition where men are born without developed vas deferens (tubes that carry sperm out of the testes).

 

CCCT: Clomiphene Citrate Challenge Test (or CCT: Clomid Challenge Test)

Another test that measures the ovarian reserve. The test is performed by measuring the patient’s initial FSH and estradiol levels on day 3 of their cycle. After taking Clomid on days 5-9, their FSH levels are measured again on day 10.

 

CNM: Certified Nurse Midwife

A trained medical professional who can support women during childbirth.

 

COH: Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation

A procedure where a doctor uses medication to cause ovulation in multiple ovarian follicles.

 

D&C: Dilation & Curettage

A procedure that removes tissue from the uterus.

 

D&E: Dilation & Evacuation

A procedure that terminates a pregnancy, typically performed during the second trimester.

 

DE: Donor Eggs

Eggs that are provided for the conception process by a third party who is not the intended parent.

 

DES: Diethylstilbestrol

A synthetic form of estrogen that can be used in the early stages of pregnancy to prevent a miscarriage.

 

DHEA: Dehydroepiandrosterone

A hormone that the body uses to make androgens and estrogen. This hormone can indicate a patient’s ovarian reserve and may be prescribed as a supplement during fertility treatment.

 

DI: Donor Insemination

A procedure where the doctor uses a syringe to insert the sperm of a donor, someone who is providing the sperm but is not the intended parent, into a patient's uterus to result in pregnancy.

 

DOR: Diminished Ovarian Reserve

A condition where a patient has reduced ovarian function and as a result may have difficulty conceiving.

 

Dx: Diagnosis

A doctor might use this shorthand in medical notes.

 

E2: Estradiol Level

A hormone that indicates how well the ovaries, placenta, and adrenal glands are working.

 

EDD: Estimated Due Date

An estimate of when a pregnancy is expected to reach full term.

 

EMB: Endometrial Biopsy

A procedure that extracts some of the tissue growing outside of a patient’s uterus for additional investigation.

 

ENDO: Endometriosis

A condition where the tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside of the patient’s uterus, typically around the ovaries or the pelvic region.

 

ERA: Endometrial Receptivity Array

A diagnostic test that assesses whether the endometrial cavity is ready for an embryo to implant.

 

ETF: Embryo Toxicity Factor

An immune system response where a patient’s body rejects an embryo, potentially resulting in a miscarriage.

 

EWCM: Egg White Cervical Mucus

Fluid from a patient’s body that helps sperm travel from the vagina to the uterus to promote conception.

 

FET: Frozen Embryo Transfer

When a Reproductive Endocrinologist transfers a frozen embryo into a patient, instead of a fresh embryo (an embryo that has been created in the past week).

 

FSH: Follicle-Stimulating Hormone

A hormone that stimulates the development of follicles that produce eggs.

 

GC: Gestational Carrier

A person who carries the fetus during pregnancy but is not the intended parent.

 

GDM: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

A condition where the hormone that creates the placenta prevents the body from using insulin properly.

 

GIFT: Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer

A procedure where a patient's eggs are placed inside her fallopian tubes with sperm to cause pregnancy.

 

GnRH: Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone

A hormone that causes the brain to create luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, which are necessary for the menstrual cycle.

 

hCG: Human Chorionic Gonadotropin

A hormone that the body creates during early pregnancy and ultimately becomes a part of the placenta.

 

HSC: Hysteroscopy

An examination of the uterine cavity that helps the doctor assess potential issues that may prevent pregnancy.

 

HSG: Hysterosalpingogram

An X ray of the uterus and fallopian tubes that is typically used to see whether there is any blockage in the fallopian tubes.

 

ICI: Intracervical Insemination

A procedure where sperm is inserted into the cervix to promote conception.

 

ICSI: Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

A procedure during IVF where a live sperm cell is injected into an egg cell.

 

IM: Intramuscular Injections

An injection where the needle is inserted into the muscle.

 

IOR: Immature Oocyte Retrieval

When immature eggs are retrieved during an unstimulated IVF cycle (an IVF cycle that does not use ovary-stimulating medications).

 

ITI: Intratubal Insemination

A procedure where sperm is inserted into a patient’s fallopian tubes to encourage conception.

 

IUI: Intrauterine Insemination

A procedure where sperm is inserted into a patient’s uterus to cause pregnancy.

 

IVF: In Vitro Fertilization

A fertility treatment where sperm fertilizes an egg in a lab.

 

LAD: Leukocyte Antibody Detection Assay

A test that measures the amount of blocking antibodies in a female patient’s blood to the white cells from her prospective partner or sperm donor. A low number of blocking antibodies could indicate potential issues with implantation and miscarriage.

 

LAP: Laparoscopy

A surgical procedure that uses a thin tube with a camera (laparoscope) to investigate a patient’s abdominal organs that might indicate some potential fertility issues. 

 

LH: Luteinizing Hormone

A hormone that causes ovulation and supports pregnancy.

 

LIT: Leukocyte Immunization Therapy

A treatment to help with recurrent miscarriages caused by an immunological reaction.

 

LP: Luteal-Phase

The period in a woman’s menstrual cycle after ovulation where the uterus starts to thicken its lining in anticipation of pregnancy.

 

LPD: Luteal-Phase Defect

A condition that prevents the uterus from thickening enough to sustain a pregnancy.

 

LSP: Low Sperm Count

A factor that could impact a man’s fertility.

 

LUF: Luteinized Unruptured Follicle Syndrome

A condition where the follicle does not release a mature egg when the patient is supposed to be ovulating.

 

MESA: Microsurgical Epididymal Sperm Aspiration

A procedure that extracts sperm from the patient’s epididymis.

 

NP: Nurse Practitioner

A registered nurse with specialized training.

 

NSA: Non-Surgical Sperm Aspiration

A procedure that extracts sperm from a male patient.

 

OB/GYN: Obstetrician/Gynecologist

A doctor who specializes in reproductive health and pregnancy.

 

OHSS: Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

A rare condition where the ovaries are overstimulated in response to hormonal treatment.

 

OI: Ovulation Induction

A fertility treatment that uses medication to induce regular ovulation.

 

OTC: Over the Counter

These are medications that do not require a prescription to obtain.

 

P4/Prog: Progesterone

A hormone that supports pregnancy.

 

PA: Physician’s Assistant

A medical professional who is trained to provide direct patient care.

 

PCOS: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

A hormonal condition where the ovaries produce an excess amount of androgens (male sex hormones).

 

PGD: Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis

A test that diagnoses chromosomal abnormalities in an embryo prior to implantation.

 

PGS: Preimplantation Genetic Screening

A test that flags chromosomal abnormalities in an embryo prior to implantation.

 

PGT: Preimplantation Genetic Testing

A test that flags chromosomal abnormalities in an embryo prior to implantation.

 

PID: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

An infection of the upper reproductive organs, that could include the uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries.

 

PIO: Progesterone in Oil

A medication used in IVF that can help support pregnancy.

 

PMS: Premenstrual Syndrome

Symptoms patients may experience before menstruation, including mood swings, irritability, and fatigue.

 

PNV: Prenatal Vitamins

A dietary supplement patients might take when trying to conceive.

 

POC: Products of Conception

Tissue from an embryo that isn’t viable.

 

POI: Premature Ovarian Insufficiency

A loss of typical ovarian function before the age of 40.

 

RE: Reproductive Endocrinologist

A doctor who specializes in fertility treatment.

 

RI: Reproductive Immunologist

A doctor who specializes in how a patient’s body reacts immunologically to a pregnancy.

 

RPL: Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

A condition where a patient has two or more consecutive miscarriages.

 

SA: Semen Analysis

A test that analyzes the quality of a patient’s sperm.

 

SART: Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology

A professional organization focusing on fertility treatment and its technological development that publishes data on fertility clinics’ success rates.

 

SHG, SIS: Sonohysterogram or saline infusion sonogram

A test that inserts liquid through a thin tube into a patient’s uterus in order to use sound waves to produce images of the uterus for further investigation.

 

S/S: Signs/Symptoms

This is a shorthand used in medical notes.

 

STI: Sexually Transmitted Infection

Patients might be tested for Sexually Transmitted Infections prior to starting fertility treatment.

 

SQ, SubQ: Subcutaneous Injection

An injection where the needle is inserted underneath the skin, which is less deep than an intramuscular injection.

 

T4: Thyroxine

A hormone created by the thyroid gland that supports metabolism, as well as heart, brain, bone and muscle health.

 

TeBG: Testosterone-Estradiol Binding Globulin

A protein produced by the liver that binds to 3 sex hormones and carries them throughout the blood.

 

TDI: Therapeutic Donor Insemination

A procedure that inserts sperm from a donor (not the intended parent) into a patient’s cervix during ovulation to result in pregnancy.

 

TESA: Testicular Sperm Aspiration

A procedure used for patients with sperm blockage that extracts sperm from a patient’s testes using a needle to accumulate enough sperm for an IVF cycle.

 

TESE: Testicular Sperm Extraction

A surgical procedure that is a biopsy of the testes in order to extract sufficient sperm volume for an IVF cycle.

 

TI: Timed Intercourse

A fertility treatment method where patients monitor their ovulation cycle and have sexual intercourse during the time their provider predicts they are likely ovulating.

 

TORCH: Toxoplasmosis, Other, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes Test

A test administered during pregnancy that tests for any viruses or infections that might be harmful to the fetus.

 

TR: Tubal Reversal

A surgery that reconnects a patient’s fallopian tubes after a tubal ligation in order to enable pregnancy to occur.

 

TRH: Thyroid Releasing Hormone

A low level of this hormone may impair a patient’s ability to ovulate.

 

TSH: Thyroid Stimulating Hormone

A metabolic hormone that affects ovulation.

 

TTC: Trying To Conceive

A shorthand reference to the period of time when a person is trying to get pregnant.

 

TWW: Two Week Wait

The approximate period of time it takes after an embryo transfer to confirm if a patient is pregnancy.

 

TZD: Thiazolidinediones

An insulin sensitizer that can help induce ovulation in patients with PCOS.

 

UTI: Urinary Tract Infection

An infection in the urinary system. This infection is more common in female patients.

 

VR: Vasectomy Reversal

A surgical procedure after a vasectomy that reconnects the vas deferens tubes  to enable conception.

 

WNL: Within Normal Limits

A shorthand used in doctors’ notes to indicate that a patient's results are typical and not of concern.