When trying to have a baby, many hopefully parents-to-be find themselves frequenting fertility and pregnancy forums or social media groups. This could be for numerous reasons, whether that's because you're looking for advice and tips on tracking ovulation or you simply want to talk to likeminded individuals who know exactly what it's like to get swept up in
If you've ever been on one of these forums or pages, you may have noticed that acronyms are quite commonly used in discussions. To save yourself the time of trying to decode what these abbreviations stand for, we've provided a list of the most popular acronyms that you're likely to come across.
While you of course don't have to use these acronyms, it can make understanding what other people are saying much easier plus typing what you want to say a little quicker!
Forum abbreviations
AF - Aunt Flo. Aka the menstrual period or menstruation.
BD - Baby Dance. Sexual intercourse during your most fertile days.
BFN - Big Fat Negative. This refers to a negative pregnancy test.
BFP - Big Fat Positive. Someone who gets a BFP will have got a _positive pregnancy tes_t.
BOB - Baby on the brain. When it's difficult to stop thinking about having a baby.
CB - Cycle Buddy. This could mean someone who ovulated around the same time as you or is planning on taking a pregnancy test when you are too.
DTD - Doing the Deed. Another reference to having sex.
DP - Darling partner. Posters will use this to refer to their partner, husband or wife.
EDD - Estimated Due Date. The rough date when a baby is expected to be born.
EPT – Early Pregnancy Test. This is when a pregnancy test is taken earlier than two weeks between your last missed period and ovulation.
Frostie - Frozen Embyro. Posters going through IVF treatment often refer to their frozen embryos as Frosties.
O or OV - Ovulation. Ovulation is when an egg is released from your ovaries.
SM - Surrogate Mother. A woman who carries a baby for an individual or couple who are unable to conceive or carry a child themselves.
TTC - Trying To Conceive. One of the most popular acronyms, TTC refers to the whole journey of trying to have a baby, not just unprotected sex.
US - Ultrasound. An ultrasound scan is a procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of part of the inside of the body. They are used to keep a close eye on the baby.