Fertility Awareness Alphabet Soup
Are you TTC checking BBT with STM and wondering if your OPK caught LH this cycle?
Or perhaps you’re new to FABMs and TTA, and you recall your LMP but can’t tell on which CD your LP began.
If you decoded both of those sentences, consider yourself fertility awareness user level: EXPERT.
Medical jargon has long been known to include a wide array of cryptic acronyms, yet a quick google search will reveal the meaning of most of them. However, many women find themselves wading through a similar alphabet soup in the world of cycle charting – and the same internet search won’t always yield helpful results!
New and seasoned cycle charters alike may engage in classes, webinars, or internet based groups seeking advice and support. But sometimes, it can be difficult to keep up with clinicians or peers when the language seems to be spoken or written in code. If acronyms have been a roadblock to understanding these discussions in the past, we’ve complied a comprehensive list of commonly used and important acronyms to navigate the world of fertility awareness based methods. The best part about this guide? It’s universal – it isn’t method or user specific.

So the next time, you will be the first to answer when someone asks, “What CD does AF start on?”
Common Abbreviations Discussed In Cycle Charting
ART: assisted reproductive technology
BC: birth control
Beta: pregnancy test from blood draw
BF: breastfeeding
BIP: base/basic infertile pattern of cervical fluid
CD: cycle day when day 1 (CD1) refers to the first day of the last menstrual period
CF/CM: cervical fluid, cervical mucus
CL: coverline, horizontal line in a basal body temperature chart – used as a pre-ovulatory baseline to help identify a temperature shift
CP: cervical position
DPO: days past ovulation
Dx: diagnosis
E: estrogen, hormone that is released from growing follicle (egg) before ovulation
EBF: exclusive breastfeeding
EDD: estimated due date
ENDO: endometriosis, a disorder where endometrial tissue exists in other places beyond the endometrium (uterine lining) and may contribute to pain, bleeding, or other symptoms
EWCF/EWCM: egg-white cervical fluid
FAM: fertility awareness methods
FABM: Fertility Awareness Based Method(s)
FP: follicular phase, the first of two phases of the menstrual cycle, it begins with the first day of the period and lasts through ovulation. This phase of the cycle may vary in length from cycle to cycle.
FSH: follicle-stimulating hormone, hormone released from the brain that stimulates follicle (egg) to grow before ovulation
HcG: Human chorionic gonadotropin (early pregnancy hormone detected with home and lab draw pregnancy tests)
HPT: home pregnancy test
Hx: history
I/IC: intercourse
IF: infertility
LH: luteinizing hormone, hormone released from the brain responsible for rupture of the follicle in the event of ovulation
LMP: last menstrual period (usually referring to the first day of your last menstrual period)
MF: male factor infertility
LAP: laparoscopy, a minimally-invasive procedure in the abdomen or pelvis for diagnosis or treatment performed through small incisions in the abdominal wall and aided by a camera
LP: luteal phase, this is the second of the two phases of the menstrual cycle, it lasts from ovulation until the first day of the next period. This phase is generally stable in length.
NFP: Natural Family Planning
O/Ov: ovulation
OPK, OPT: ovulation predictor kit, test, these strips detect the presence of LH in concentrated urine
P: Peak day. The last day of highest quality cervical fluid. This term is associated with the mucus sign.
PCOS: polycystic ovary syndrome, and endocrine disorder. Women with PCOS may have irregular cycles, evidence of elevated androgen hormones, and/or a higher than normal number of small follicles (cysts) on their ovaries.
PG: pregnant
PGN: progesterone, hormone that rises after ovulation and falls before menses, or remains elevated if a woman is pregnant
PMS: premenstrual symptoms/syndrome
PP: postpartum
POAS: pee on a stick, usually either referring to a pregnancy test or a symptohormonal method monitor strip or OPK
RRM: Restorative Reproductive Medicine, an application of medical and/or surgical health care that focuses on restoring optimal health and function
SF: seminal fluid
TTA: trying to avoid pregnancy
TTC: trying to conceive
US, U/S: ultrasound
VD: vaginal discharge
Common Method Name Abbreviations
BCC: Boston Cross Check
BOM: Billings Ovulation Method
CrMS: Creighton Model Fertility Care System
FEMM: Fertility Education and Medical Management
FF: fertility friend
LAM: Lactational Amenorrhea Method
MM: Marquette Method
NC: Natural Cycles
SDM: Standard Days Method
SHM: sympto-hormonal methods
STM: sympto-thermal methods
Common Online Discussion Thread Terms
AF: Aunt Flo (your monthly menstrual flow)
BFN: big fat negative (pregnancy test)
BFP: big fat positive (pregnancy test)
DTD: do the deed (referring to intercourse)
DH: dear husband (W, S, D… wife, son, daughter…)
LO: little one
OP: original poster
SO: significant other
TCOYF: Taking Charge of Your Fertility, one of the first well-known books about fertility awareness, written by Toni Weschler
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6079215/#!po=8.82353
