Fertility Lingua Franca

If you are trying to conceive (TTC) or dealing with infertility, you have likely perused online forums, blogs, and scholarly articles trying to fill the gap in information from your healthcare providers. The fertility community has developed its own lingua franca (link language) to communicate with others going through the same travail. It is not uncommon to come across a post on social media with so many acronyms that it feels like reading a hieroglyphic text. If you are new to TTC, you may find these posts daunting, so we have created a simple guide to commonly used Acronyms to guide you in your foray into online fertility communities.

AF = Aunt Flo — Menstruation

AFC = Antral follicle count,

AH = Assistant Hatching

AMH =Anti-Mullerian Hormone; a hormone level used to predict your ovarian reserve.

AI = Artificial Insemination

ART = Assisted Reproductive Technology

Amenorrhea = The medical term for a missed menstrual cycle for more than three months in a row.

BC / BCP = Birth Control (Pills)

BBT = Basal Body Temperature – A basal thermometer chart is a way to track temperature increases after the release of an egg, allowing you to know when you’ll be the most fertile.