If you’ve ever visited a fertility-related message board and wondered what a particular acronym stands for, you’re not alone! Online infertility and trying to conceive (TTC) culture has developed a lingo of its own. On top of this, there are medical abbreviations that you are going to want to know too.

There are a lot of acronyms and abbreviations out there, so we have compiled a list of the most common infertility-related terms that you might want to know. If you are new to the TTC community or have recently decided that IVF is right for you, keep in mind that most people needed to look up these terms up at one point.

There seem to be two mindsets when it comes to infertility abbreviations or slang terms. Some people like fertility abbreviations because they make a very personal, heavy topic a touch easier to discuss. For some, it is just easier to say BD (baby dance) or AF (Aunt Flo). Others feel that sticking to the medical terminology is the best way to handle a medical condition and prefer using the actual terms: sex and menstrual period. Whatever your personal preference, feeling out-of-the-loop certainly isn’t necessary.

On top of forum-lingo, there is often medical information that is relevant to these online conversations, making acronyms really convenient – especially if you are typing on a hand-held device. Typing out works like ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome or intracytoplasmic sperm injection just isn’t practical. Embracing medical acronyms can also be useful as they are likely to be used during your consultations with medical professionals.