“I’m a SAHM and have 1 DD with DH. I’m 17 DPO and AF is late, but when I POAS, my HPT gave me a BFN. Help!”
Huh? Online TTC (Trying To Conceive) communities basically have their own language, which is totally confusing and overwhelming when you’re a newbie trying to figure out what the heck is going on. (She’s a Single Anemic Hufflepuff Mormon and OMG, please help me with the rest of this sentence…)
Not to worry though, we’ve cracked the code for you since we know you’ve got better things to deal with besides trying to decipher online message board acronyms. Check out our alphabetized list below that will help you keep up with all the topics TTC’ers are talking about.
AF: Aunt Flo, your period (This one is particularly confusing since AF means something quite different in another context)
Baby dust: This is kind of like fairy dust for conception, typically used as a way to wish someone good luck! (i.e. no not dust that accumulates on babies if they lay in one spot for too long, if you are moving your baby around regularly that should not be a thing)
BD: Baby dance (having intercourse for conception purposes or by extension any form of insemination)
BFN: Big fat negative (on a pregnancy test)
BFP: Big fat positive (on a pregnancy test)
CD: Cycle day (Also, if you still think “compact disc” let us introduce you to the wonderful world of digital music, welcome to the future!)
CL: Coverline
CM: Cervical mucus, a.k.a. cervical fluid
CP: Cervical position
DH, DD, DS: Dear Husband, Dear Daughter, Dear Son
DPO: Days past ovulation (i.e. Not the name of a Star Wars robot)
EWCM: Egg-white cervical mucus (same as egg-white cervical fluid)
FSH: Follicle stimulating hormone
HPT: Home pregnancy test
IUI: Intra-uterine insemination
IVF: In-vitro fertilization
LH: Luteinizing hormone (whatever that is?)
LMP: Last menstrual period (the first day of your last period)
LP: Luteal phase (NOT a phase of the moon)
M/C: Miscarriage
OPK: Ovulation Predictor Kit (totally fine if the first 4 times you read it you immediately think “Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries” but no, they are very different)
POAS: Pee on a stick (preferably a pregnancy test and not an actual stick but hey, you do you)
Rainbow baby: The baby you are trying for after a pregnancy loss
RE: Reproductive Endocrinologist- Fertility Specialist
TTC: Trying to conceive
2WW: Two-week wait (The time btwn ovulation and when you can take a pregnancy test!)
