Decoding DEIVF: The Essential Glossary for IVF Newbies

When I first found myself in the world of Donor Egg In Vitro Fertilisation (DEIVF), it felt like I was being inducted into a club I never wanted to join. And to make it even more overwhelming, it seemed like everyone was speaking in a secret language of abbreviations! I had no clue what PCOS, IUI, or even AF meant. I remember constantly googling things like ‘IUI meaning infertility’ just to keep up with conversations in online groups like this one. It was pretty alienating at first, and honestly, I spent way too much time just trying to figure out the basics.

Hopefully, you’ve found this page early into your journey so you don’t have to go through the same endless searching I did! I cover a lot of DEIVF terms in particular because that was my personal path. It’s how I had my daughter, and while everyone’s journey is different, I know how much it helps to have everything in one place. Whether you’re just starting to explore your options or you’re knee-deep in the process, I hope this glossary makes things a little easier to navigate and helps you feel less alone. I’m always a DM away 💌

A-D

• AF – Aunt Flo: A common term for your period—because sometimes you just have to laugh.
• AI – Artificial Insemination: Introducing sperm into the reproductive system without intercourse.
• ART – Assisted Reproductive Technology: Treatments like DEIVF that help achieve pregnancy.
• Assisted Hatching: A technique that creates a small hole in the embryo’s outer layer to aid implantation.
• BBT – Basal Body Temperature: Your lowest body temperature at rest, tracked to detect ovulation.
• BCP – Birth Control Pills: Often used in DEIVF to regulate your cycle before treatment.
• Beta hCG Test: A blood test measuring hCG, the “pregnancy hormone.”
• BFN – Big Fat Negative: That dreaded negative pregnancy test result.
• BFP – Big Fat Positive: The much-anticipated positive pregnancy test result!
• Blastocyst: A five-day-old embryo with a fluid-filled cavity and an outer cell layer.
• CD – Cycle Day: The specific day in your menstrual cycle.
• CM – Cervical Mucus: Fluid from the cervix that changes during your cycle, helping with timing.
• Cryopreservation: Freezing embryos, eggs, or sperm for future use.
• D&C – Dilation & Curettage: A procedure to remove tissue from the uterus, often after miscarriage.
• DC – Donor Conceived: Someone born using donor eggs, sperm, or embryos.
• DD – Double Donor: When both egg and sperm are donated in IVF.
• DE – Donor Egg: Using donated eggs for assisted reproduction in DEIVF.
• DOR – Diminished Ovarian Reserve: When the ovaries have fewer eggs than expected.
• DPT – Days Post-Transfer: The number of days since embryo transfer.
• Dx – Diagnosis: The identification of a medical condition.

E-L

• Embryo: A fertilized egg in its early stage of development.
• Embryo Adoption: When individuals or couples adopt embryos donated by others after IVF.
• Endometrial Thickness: The measurement of the uterine lining, crucial for embryo transfers.
• Fertilisation: When sperm penetrates the egg, forming a zygote.
• FET – Frozen Embryo Transfer: Transferring previously frozen embryos to the uterus.
• FF – Fertility Friend: A popular app for tracking ovulation and fertility.
• FHR – Fetal Heart Rate: The number of beats per minute of a developing fetus.
• Follicle: A fluid-filled sac in the ovary that holds an immature egg.
• FSH – Follicle-Stimulating Hormone: A hormone that helps eggs develop.
• Genetic Screening: Testing embryos to check for genetic health before transfer.
• Gestational Carrier: A person who carries and delivers a baby for someone else.
• GYN – Gynecologist: A doctor specializing in female reproductive health.
• hCG – Human Chorionic Gonadotropin: The hormone detected by pregnancy tests.
• Hysteroscopy: A procedure to examine the inside of the uterus for issues.
• ICSI – Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection: Injecting a single sperm into an egg.
• IF – Infertility: The inability to conceive after a year of unprotected sex.
• Implantation: When a fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining.
• IUI – Intrauterine Insemination: A fertility treatment placing sperm directly in the uterus.
• IVF – In Vitro Fertilization: Fertilizing eggs with sperm outside the body before transfer.
• LH – Luteinising Hormone: A hormone essential for ovulation and cycle regulation.
• LMP – Last Menstrual Period: The first day of your most recent period.
• LSP – Low Sperm Count: When sperm concentration in semen is lower than normal.

M-P

• MC – Miscarriage: The loss of a pregnancy.
• MFI – Male Factor Infertility: Infertility caused by sperm-related issues.
• OB – Obstetrician: A doctor specializing in pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care.
• OHSS – Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome: When the ovaries overreact to stimulation meds.
• Ovulation: The release of an egg from the ovary, usually mid-cycle.
• Ovarian Stimulation: Using meds to encourage the ovaries to produce multiple eggs.
• Panhypopituitarism: A condition where the pituitary gland underproduces hormones.
• PCOS – Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A common hormonal disorder affecting fertility.
• PGD – Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis: Testing embryos for genetic conditions before implantation.
• Pessaries: Vaginally inserted solid-form medications for absorption.
• PI – Primary Infertility: The inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy.
• PIO – Progesterone in Oil: A progesterone injection to support pregnancy in IVF.
• POAS – Pee On A Stick: Taking a home pregnancy test.
• POI – Premature Ovarian Insufficiency: Early loss of ovarian function before age 40.
• Premature Menopause: Menopause occurring before age 40, causing reduced fertility.
• Progynova: A brand of estradiol used in hormone therapy and fertility treatment.
• Provera: A brand of medroxyprogesterone, used to regulate or induce periods.
• Progesterone: A key hormone that supports pregnancy and prepares the uterus for implantation.

Q-Z

• Quarantine: A period where frozen embryos are stored and monitored for infections.
• RE – Reproductive Endocrinologist: A fertility specialist focusing on reproductive hormones and DEIVF treatments.
• Recipient: The person receiving donor eggs, sperm, or embryos.
• Surrogacy: When a woman carries and delivers a baby for someone else.
• Sperm Retrieval: Methods used to collect sperm when natural conception isn’t possible.
• SI – Secondary Infertility: Difficulty conceiving or carrying a pregnancy after having a previous child.
• Transvaginal Ultrasound: An ultrasound using a vaginal probe to assess reproductive organs.
• TTC – Trying To Conceive: The journey of working toward pregnancy, with or without fertility treatments.
• TW – Trigger Warning: A heads-up for sensitive content that may be emotionally challenging.
• TWW – Two Week Wait: The anxious wait between embryo transfer and pregnancy test day.
• US – Ultrasound: A scan to check ovaries, follicles, and embryos.
• Uterus: The organ where a fertilized egg implants and grows.
• Vitrification: A fast-freezing method used to preserve embryos.
• WTTC – Waiting To Try To Conceive: When a couple postpones actively trying for pregnancy.
• Womb: Another term for the uterus, where pregnancy develops.
• X-Chromosome: A sex chromosome that determines female characteristics.
• Y-Chromosome: A sex chromosome that determines male characteristics.
• Zygote: The first cell formed when sperm and egg unite.

Wrapping It All Up

I hope that this glossary has helped make things a little clearer and saved you from spending ages googling terms like I once did! If you found it helpful, feel free to share it with others who might need it. And if there’s a term I missed or something you’d like me to cover, drop a comment below or check out more of my DEIVF journey here.