Our list of common abbreviations or acronyms should clear up any confusion about the shorthand we use in our private support group

Have a question for Ending a Wanted Pregnancy? Email us.

Q:

We really do use a lot of abbreviations. Many of these may be familiar from other discussion areas on the internet, but several are shorthand for various prenatal diagnoses or tests, medical procedures, and so on. Some are unique to EWP— oops, we mean, Ending a Wanted Pregnancy. Below is an alphabetical list of as many as we could think of.

You certainly don’t need to memorize these, just let this list be your handy reference guide. If there are other abbreviations you think we should add, please drop us an email at endingawantedpregnancy at gmail.com.

ACC – agenesis of the corpus callosum, a brain defect

AF – Aunt Flo, an old euphemism for menstruation

AHC – a heartwrenching choice (a euphemism for abortion after poor prenatal diagnosis or for maternal health issues.)

AMA – advanced maternal age (may also mean against medical advice in some contexts)

AVSD – atrial ventricular septal defect, a heart defect

BBC – Babycenter, a parenting website with community forums

BC – birth control

BD – baby dance (a euphemism for sex with the intent of conception)

BF – breastfeed

BIL – brother-in-law

BTW – by the way

CI – conception issues

CMV – cytomegalovirus, a virus that can cause harm early in pregnancy

CTT – carry to term, in reference to prenatally diagnosed pregnancy

CVS – chorionic villus sampling, an early test for chromosomal anomalies

CW – content warning

DBF – dear boyfriend

D&C – dilation and cutterage, an abortion procedure

DD – dear daughter

D&E – dilation and extraction, an abortion procedure

DH – dear husband

DP – dear partner

DS – dear son (sometimes used for “Down syndrome” but T-21 is clearer)

DW – dear wife

DX – diagnosis

EDD – estimated due date or estimated delivery date

ETA – edited to add

EWP – ending a wanted pregnancy, also used to refer to this website and related support resources

FET – frozen embryo transfer

FFS – for fark’s sake

FIL – father-in-law

FISH – fluorescent in situ hybridization, a genetic screening following CVS or amniocentesis

FWIW – for what it’s worth

GC – genetic counselor

HG – hyperemesis graverdarium, a prenatal condition

HLHS – hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a heart defect

HPE – holoprosencephaly, a brain defect

HRHS – hypoplastic right heart syndrome, a heart defect

HTH – hope that helps

IC – incompetent cervix

IF – infertility

IUI – intra-uterine insemination

IUGR – interuterine growth restriction, a prenatal condition

IVF – invitro fertilization

IIRC – if I recall correctly

IMO – in my opinion

IMHO – in my humble opinion

IMNSHO – in my not so humble opinion

KWIM – know what I mean?

LC – living child

L&D – labor and delivery, an abortion procedure

MFM – maternal-fetal medicine specialist

MIL – mother-in-law

NIPT – non-invasive prenatal testing

NT – nuchal scan or nuchal translucency, a soft marker for genetic anomalies

NTD – neural tube defect

OB – obstetrician

OHC – Our Heartbreaking Choices, a book of compiled termination stories from many members of our community and edited by Christie Brooks.

OP – original poster, the person who started the discussion

OT – off topic

OTOH – on the other hand

PG – pregnant

PIG – pre-implantation genetic testing

PITA – pain in the a**

PM – private message

PPD – poor prenatal diagnosis

PPROM – premature rupture of membranes, a dangerous prenatal condition

Rainbow – “rainbow child,” a living child born following a pregnancy loss

ROFL – rolling on floor laughing

SB – spina bifida, a neural tube defect

SIL – sister-in-law

T-9 – chromosome 9 trisomy, a chromosomal anomaly

T-13 – trisomy 13 or Patau syndrome, a chromosomal anomaly

T-18 – trisomy 18 or Edward syndrome, a chromosomal anomaly

T-21 – trisomy 21 or Down syndrome, a chromosomal anomaly

TFMR – termination for medical reasons

TIA – thanks in advance

TS – Turner syndrome, a chromosomal anomaly

TTC – trying to conceive

TW – trigger warning (If you’re going to use a  “trigger warning” please clearly state what the warning is about, as “trigger warning” alone is too vague to be of any value.)

TWW – two-week wait, between ovulation and taking a pregnancy test

TX – termination of pregnancy or an abortion

US or U/S – ultrasound, a prenatal test

WTF – what the f*ck?

YMMV – your mileage may vary (this may not be same for you as it is for me)