Terms and Abbreviations

AD--adoptive parent
AF--aunt flo (your period)
AH-- assisted hatching
AI-- artificial insemination
Anlage: The name for the undeveloped or rudimentary müllerian duct.
AO-- annovulation
Arcuate: AU A variation of normal uterine development in which the top of the uterus has a slight dip. Rarely a problem.
ART-- assisted reproductive technologies
AU: "Arcuate uterus"
BBT--basal body temperature
BF--biological father
BFN--big fat negative
BFP--big fat positive
BG--blood glucose
BH--braxton-hicks contractions
Bicollis: Meaning "2 cervices." Many septate, bicornuate and didelphys uteri can have a double cervix. Eg. "uterus bicornis bicollis."
Bicornuate: BU Meaning "two horns," it describes a uterus with a distinct division (> 1 cm.) visible from the outside, caused by incomplete fusion of the two müllerian ducts. A.k.a. "uterus bicornis."
BMom--biological mother
BP--biological parents
BP--blood pressure
BU-- Bicornuate Uterus
B/W--blood work
CBAVD--congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens
D&C--dilation and curettage
DD--dear daughter
D&E--dilation and evacuation
DH--dear husband
DP3DT--days past three day transfer
DP5DT--days past five day transfer
DPO--days past ovulation
DS--dear son
DW--dear wife
Dx--diagnosis
Dysmenorrhea: Painful menstrual cramps. Women with uterine anomalies frequently have painful menstruation, typically from associated endometriosis, outlet obstruction, retrograde menstruation and the disorganized muscle contractions caused by an intrauterine septum.
E2--estrogen level
EDD--estimated due date
Endo--endometriosis
ER--egg retrieval
ET--embryo transfer
FC--foster care
FET--frozen embryo transfer
FSH--follicle stimulating hormone
GnRH--gonadotropin-releasing hormone
GS--gestational surrogate/surrogacy
hCG--human chorionic gonadotropin
HPT--home pregnancy test (also called a peestick)
HSG--hysterosalpingogram
IC-- incompetent cervix
ICSI--intracytoplasmic sperm injection
IF--infertility
IM--intramuscular
IUGR--intrauterine growth restriction
IUI--intrauterine insemination
IVF--in vitro fertilization
IVIG--intravenous immunoglobulin
Lap--laparoscopy
Lap/hyst: Abbreviation "Laparoscopy/hysteroscopy"—a combination of two operations in which the uterus is inspected inside and out, to determine the extent of the malformation. A lap/hyst is the `gold standard' of diagnoses in differentiating between a septate or bicornuate uterus. It is also commonly done during hysteroscopic septoplasty to monitor the operation and verify whether or not a uterine perforation has occurred in the course of the hysteroscopy.
LH--luteinizing hormone
LP--luteal phase
LPD--luteal phase defect
MA: See: Müllerian anomaly. A.k.a.: Müllerian duct anomaly.
Magnetic resonance imaging: MRI A noninvasive test useful in seeing the contours of the uterus and differentiating between a septate and bicornuate uterus.
M/C--miscarriage
MF--male factor
Müllerian anomaly: A developmental abnormality of the internal female sex organs resulting from the failure of the müllerian ducts to either fuse and/or resorb properly. Müllerian anomalies include hypoplastic uterus, arcuate uterus, septate uterus, bicornuate uterus, unicornuate uterus, T-shaped (DES) uterus, uterus didelphys, Rokitansky Syndrome, and others.
Müllerian ducts: Two long tubular structures found in both the male and the female embryo. In the male, these ducts dissolve, but in the female, they unite to form the uterus and oviducts.
O--ovulate (or O'ing)
OB/GYN--obstetrician/gynecologist
OHSS--ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
p-- parenting
P4--progesterone
PAP--potential or prospective adoptive parents
PCOS--polycystic ovarian syndrome
PG-pregnant
PGD--preimplantation genetic diagnosis
PGL-- pregnancy loss
PID--pelvic inflammatory disease
POF--premature ovarian failure
PROM--premature rupture of membranes
PUPO--pregnant until proven otherwise
RE--reproductive endocrinologist
RI--reproductive immunologist
RPL--recurrent pregnancy loss
Rudimentary horn: the small, undeveloped horn of a unicornuate, didelphic or bicornuate uterus. A.k.a. anlagen.
Rx--prescription
SA--semen analysis
S/B--stillbirth
SHG--sonohysterogram
SIF--secondary infertility
Septate: SU. Adjective describing a uterus with an extra fibrous/muscular band in the middle of its cavity, giving it two horn shaped hemi-uterine cavities. This is the most common müllerian anomaly, and results from the partial or total failure of the wall between the united müllerian ducts to dissolve. A.k.a. "uterus septus." Subcategories of the septate uterus include "total," or "complete," in which the septum involves the cervical canal and even the vagina, and "subseptate," in which the septum's lower end stops short of the cervical canal.
SU-- Septate Uterus
TS--traditional surrogate/surrogacy
TSH--thyroid stimulating hormone
TAD-- trying to adopt
TTC--trying to conceive
Tx--treatment
UD-- Uterus Didelphys
Unicornuate: UU. An asymmetrical uterine anomaly in which one of the two müllerian ducts has failed to form properly. The hemiuterus is a small, banana-shaped organ frequently accompanied by an anlage, or rudimentary uterine horn or bud, which may or may not have an open endometrial cavity. Pregnancies in the smaller horn almost invariably rupture, and to prevent this, a hemihysterectomy may be recommended. Women with UU usually have bilateral ovaries, and may have an associated kidney anomaly on the side with the anlage.
UIF-- unexplained infertility
U/S--ultrasound
UTI--urinary tract infection
UU--unicornuate uterus
VBAC--vaginal birth after cesarean
xfer--transfer

*If you have terms or abbrevations to add, please let me know.

Note: For other lists of applicable terms and abbrevations, please visit the following links:
Stirrup Queens
Mullerian Anomalies