Must-Know Motherhood & Pregnancy Acronyms

As mamas, we do all that we can to save time. Enter: pregnancy acronyms and parenting abbreviations, to make your conversations with other FTMs (that’s first-time mamas) just that little bit speedier.

Consider this your very own motherhood and pregnancy dictionary. If you’ve found yourself trying to decode all of the motherhood and pregnancy terms, you’re not alone.

From choosing to BF to being a SAHM, sometimes it can feel like you’re learning a whole new parenting language. So we’ve put together a quick guide to pregnancy acronyms and motherhood terms ‒ the parenting A-Z that every mama and mom-to-be needs to know.

In this article: 📝

Most common parenting acronyms

If you’re new to Peanut or you’re just not sure about the parenting acronyms the other parents are using in the playground, we’ve got you covered. Consider this your motherhood dictionary to help you decipher parenting acronyms ‒ in no time, you’ll be speaking the parenting language fluently!

It's worth mentioning that not everyone uses these parenting acronyms and abbreviations, but they’re a useful reference if you’re not sure what they mean.

What does SAHM mean?

Let’s start with one of the most commonly-used parenting acronyms: what is the SAHM meaning? SAHM means “stay-at-home-mom” - an abbreviation used across the internet and on Peanut.

What does FTM mean?

So what’s FTM mean? Well, FTM is an acronym for “first-time mom” in parenting, but it can also mean “female to male” when talking about transitioning genders.

What does BLW mean?

BLW means “baby-led weaning”, a method of introducing solids that involves baby choosing what, when, and how much they eat.

What is the EBF meaning for baby?

The EBF acronym means "exclusively breastfeeding" or "exclusively breastfed". Mamas who choose not to use formula tend to use this parenting acronym to describe how they feed their baby.

What does OP mean in parenting?

There are a couple of meanings for OP as a parenting acronym. It could mean “original poster” when on parenting forums or when commenting on another person’s post on Peanut.

But OP can also mean “other parent” ‒ although this is usually used in custody agreements in court.

Abbreviation for baby

What you call your baby is totally up to you, but here are some suggestions to make it a little more personal:

• BB: Baby
• BBY: Baby
• LO: Little one
• 🥜: Peanut

What does DD, DH, and DS stand for?

There are a few parenting acronyms used to describe your family:

• DC: Dear child
• DD: Dear daughter
• DH: Dear husband
• DP: Dear partner
• DS: Dear son or dear spouse
• DSD: Dear stepdaughter
• DSS: Dear stepson
• DW: Dear wife

How about extended family? Well, there are some parenting acronyms for them, too:

• BIL: Brother-in-law
• FIL: Father-in-law
• GP: Grandparents
• MIL: Mother-in-law
• OH: Other half
• SIL: Sister-in-law or sibling-in-law
• SO: Significant other
• XH: Ex-husband
• XS: Ex-spouse
• XW: Ex-wife

Other popular parenting acronyms

After more parenting abbreviations? Here you go:

• AP: Attachment parenting
• BC: Birth control
• BCP: Birth control pil
• BF: Breastfeeding
• BM: Breast milk
• CF: Cluster feeding
• CIO: Cry It Out, a controversial sleep training method
• CTFD: Calm the f*** down. Another (somewhat controversial) parenting method
• DC: Daycare
• DCP: Daycare provider
• EBM: Expressed breast milk
• EP: Exclusively pumpin
• FF: Formula fed
• FRP: Free-range parenting
• GP: Gentle parenting
• HP: Helicopter parent
• LC: Lactation consultant, a health professional that specializes in breastfeeding support
• NAK: Nursing at keyboard
• NIP: Nursing in public
• PP: Postpartum
• PPD: Postpartum depression
• SAHD: Stay-at-home dad
• SAHP: Stay-at-home parent
• STTN: Sleeping through the night
• WAH: Work at home
• WAHD: Work-at-home dad
• WAHM: Work-at-home mom

Medical pregnancy abbreviations

The world of medical pregnancy terminology abbreviations is a maze of seemingly-jumbled letters. It can be a little daunting, so let us break down the most common medical pregnancy acronyms and what they mean.

A word before we start ‒ some medical pregnancy abbreviations can be insensitive, which is why we started the Renaming Revolution. Some of the pregnancy acronyms in this list may be triggering, so proceed with caution.

• AB: Abortion ‒ a form of pregnancy loss.
• AC: Abdominal circumference ‒ a way of measuring to see how much baby’s growing.
• AFI: Amniotic fluid index ‒ a way of measuring how well baby’s doing in the womb. A normal level can be between 5-20.
• AGA: Appropriate for gestational age ‒ meaning that baby’s growth is as expected.
• AI: Artificial insemination ‒ a fertility treatment where sperm is put directly into the cervix or uterus.
• AO: Annovulatory ‒ a term used to describe when ovulation doesn’t happen.
• ART: Assisted reproductive technology ‒ covers the range of fertility treatments that could be available.
• BBT: Basal body temperature ‒ your body temperature when you’re resting.
• BPD: Biparietal diameter ‒ the diameter of baby’s head.
• CF: Cervical fluid ‒ the mucus released by the cervix during your menstrual cycle.
• CL: Corpus luteum ‒ responsible for the production of progesterone during early pregnancy.
• CM: Cervical mucus ‒ the fluid in your cervix.
• CNM: Certified nurse-midwife.
• CP: Cervical position or chemical pregnancy
• Ctx: Contractions.
• CY: Cycle ‒ as in menstrual cycle.
• D&C: Dilation and curettage ‒ a medical procedure sometimes done following an early pregnancy loss, involving dilation of the cervix followed by a medical instrument (a curette) to remove any other tissue.
• D&E: Dilation and evacuation ‒ a medical procedure sometimes done following a later pregnancy loss, involving dilation of the cervix followed by various medical instruments to remove any other tissue.
• DE: Donor eggs.
• DES: Diethylstilbestrol ‒ a type of synthetic estrogen.
• DI: Donor insemination ‒ when donor sperm is placed in your uterus during ovulation.
• DR: Delivery room ‒ a place in the hospital where you can have your baby.
• Dx: Diagnosis.
• EAB: Elective abortion ‒ if you choose to have an abortion.
• EB or EMB: Endometrial biopsy ‒ a small piece of tissue from the uterus is removed for examination.
• EFW: Estimated fetal weight.
• Endo: Endometriosis.
• ET: Embryo transfer ‒ part of the IVF process, where the embryo(s) are put into the womb.
• EWCM: Egg-white cervical mucus.
• FET: Frozen embryo transfer.
• FH: Fundal height ‒ the measurement from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus while pregnant.
• FHT: Fetal heart tones ‒ fetal heartbeats.
• FM: Fertility monitor.
• FMU: First morning urine ‒ when your pee has the highest levels of hCG, this is the best time of day to take a pregnancy test.
• FP: Follicular phase ‒ the stage in ovulation when your egg is released.
• FRE: First Response Early ‒ a brand of pregnancy test.
• GA: Gestational age ‒ how old baby is in the womb.
• GD: Gestational diabetes ‒ a form of diabetes you only have when you’re pregnant.
• GCT: Glucose challenge test ‒ a test for gestational diabetes.
• GTT: Glucose tolerance test ‒ another test for gestational diabetes.
• hCG: Human chorionic gonadotropin ‒ a pregnancy hormone.
• HSC: Hysteroscopy ‒ a procedure to see inside your uterus.
• HSG: Hysterosalpingogram or hysterosalpingography ‒ an x-ray of your uterus.
• Hx: History ‒ used to describe family history.
• IAL: In active labor.
• IF or INF: Infertility.
• IUI: Intrauterine insemination ‒ a form of artificial insemination where concentrated sperm are put directly in the uterus.
• IUP: Intrauterine pregnancy ‒ a type of pregnancy loss.
• IVF: In vitro fertilization ‒ a form of artificial insemination.
• IVM: In vitro maturation ‒ a fertility treatment procedure.
• JD: Juvenile diabetes.
• JNB: Jaundice in newborn.
• LGA: Large for gestational age ‒ if baby is particularly big for their age in the womb.
• LMP: Last menstrual period ‒ usually the start date of your last period.
• LP: Luteal phase ‒ the stage in your cycle where your ovaries release an egg.
• LTCS: Low transverse cesarean section ‒ a type of incision, on the uterus and not on the skin.
• MC, m/c, or misc.: Miscarriage.
• NIAL: Not in active labor ‒ contractions may have started, but it’s not yet time to push.
• NO: No ovulation or not ovulating
• NP: Nurse practitioner.
• NTD: Neural tube defect ‒ birth differences such as meningomyelocele or spina bifida.
• O: Ovulation
• OB: Obstetrician
• OB-GYN: Obstetrician-Gynecologist
• OC: Oral contraceptives
• OCP: Oral contraceptive pill
• OTC: Over-the-counter.
• P4: Progesterone ‒ a menstrual hormone.
• PC: Post-coital ‒ after sex.
• PCO, PCOD, or PCOS: Polycystic ovary disease or polycystic ovary syndrome.
• PCP: Primary care physician.
• PI: Primary infertility ‒ those who aren’t able to get pregnant after a year after TTC.
• PML: Preterm (or premature) labor.
• PNV: Prenatal vitamins.
• PPD#: Postpartum day ‒ followed by the number of days postpartum.
• RE: Reproductive endocrinologist.
• RPL: Recurrent pregnancy loss ‒ three or more consecutive pregnancy losses.
• RSA: Recurrent spontaneous abortion ‒ another term for three or more pregnancy losses.
• S/A or SA: Sperm or semen analysis.
• SAB: Spontaneous abortion.
• SGA: Small for gestational age ‒ a baby that’s smaller than expected for their age in the womb.
• SI: Secondary infertility ‒ those who were able to conceive, but are now unable.
• SOP: Standard operational procedure.
• STD: Sexually transmitted disease.
• SVD: Spontaneous vaginal delivery ‒ giving birth without drugs, forceps, vacuum, or c-section.
• TAB: Therapeutic abortion.
• TL: Tubal ligation ‒ a form of sterilization in people with uteruses.
• TR: Tubal reversal ‒ reversing female sterilization (although there is no guarantee).
• UTI: Urinary tract infection.
• V: Vasectomy ‒ a form of male sterilization.
• VR: Vasectomy reversal.
• YI: Yeast infection.

Useful pregnancy acronyms

There are so many pregnancy words and pregnancy abbreviations to learn. But don’t worry, you’re not expected to know them all!

If you come across a pregnancy term you’re not familiar with, consider this your pregnancy dictionary!

What is PPA in pregnancy?

The PPA acronym relating to pregnancy means "postpartum anxiety", something that’s more common than you might think.

If you think you might have PPA, reach out to your healthcare provider, or even to our Peanut community. There is help out there.

What is a BFP in pregnancy terms?

A BFP is a “big fat positive” on your pregnancy test.

What is a BFN in pregnancy terms?

A BFN is a “big fat negative” on your pregnancy test.

Other popular pregnancy acronyms

Come across a pregnancy abbreviation we haven’t covered yet? It might just be here:

• AF: ‘Aunt Flo’, aka your period.
• BB: Bump buddy.
• BD: Baby dance (AKA sex)
• BP: Blood pressure.
• CB: Clearblue.
• CS or C/S: C-section or cesarean (nope, you don’t need to learn how to spell it!).
• DDB: Due-date buddy.
• DPO: Days past ovulation.
• DPT: Days past transfer.
• DTD: Do the deed (AKA sex)
• EDD: Estimated due date, aka when baby is likely to arrive.
• EPT: Early pregnancy test.
• HPT: Home pregnancy test.
• IB: Implantation bleeding.
• L&D: Labor and delivery.
• Line eyes or L👀: A request for people to look at a picture of a pregnancy test and say whether or not they think it's positive.
• ML: Maternity leave.
• MoM: Mama of multiples.
• MS: Morning sickness.
• MW: Midwife.
• PG: Pregnant.
• PL: Paternity leave or parental leave.
• POAS: Pee on a stick (like a home pregnancy test)
• SD: Sperm donor.
• TTC: Trying to conceive.
• US or u/s: Ultrasound.
• VBAC: Vaginal birth after a c-section.
  The world of parenting and pregnancy is certainly a big one, but no one expects you to know everything. That’s why we’re here ‒ to provide a helping hand with our Peanut Community.

Know of any other pregnancy acronyms or want to show off your newfound parenting language? Join us on Peanut!