Frequently Used Abbreviations

Thanks to Kristina Sharrer for compiling the list for us! I added a couple as well, if there's any we're missing, please comment so they can be added. 



ACA = Anti-Cardiolipin Antibodies
ACOG = American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
ACTH = Adrenal Corticotropic Hormone
AH, AZH = Assisted Hatching
AI = Artificial Insemination
ANA = Anti-Nuclear Antibodies
AO= Annovulatory
AP= Attachment Parenting
APA = Anti-Phospholipid Antibodies
APTT = Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time
ART = Assisted Reproductive Technology
ASA = Anti-Sperm Antibody
ASRM = American Society of Reproductive Medicine
ATA = Anti-Thyroid Antibody
AVA = Anti-Ovarian Antibody

B
BBT = Basal Body Temperature
BBC = Baby Center
BC = Birth Control
BCP = Birth Control Pills
BFP = big fat positive
BFN = big fat negative

C
CAH = Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
CASA = Computer-Assisted Semen Analysis
CCCT= Clomiphene Citrate Challenge Test(Clomid Challenge)
CD = Cycle Day
CF = Cervical Fluid Chromo = Chromopertubation
CL = Corpus luteum
CM = Cervical Mucus
CMV = Cytomegalovirus
CNM = Certified Nurse Midwife
CP = Cervical position
CVS = Chorionic Villi Sampling
CY = Cycle

D
D&C = Dilation and Curettage
D&E = Dilation and Evacuation
DE = Donor Eggs
DES = Diethylstilbestrol (a synthetic estrogen)
DI = Donor Insemination
DIPI = Direct Intra-Peritoneal Insemination
DOST = Direct Oocyte-Sperm Transfer
DPO = Days Post-Ovulation
Dx = Diagnosis

E
E2 = Estradiol
EB, EMB = Endometrial Biopsy
EDD = Estimated Due Date
Endo = Endometriosis
EPT = Early Pregnancy Test
ET = Embryo Transfer
ETA = Embryo Toxicity Assay
ETF = Embryo Toxic Factor
ETLA = Enhanced TLA
EW = Egg White Consistency (refering to CM)
EWCM = Egg-white cervical mucus

F
FAQ = Frequently asked Questions
FET = Frozen Embryo Transfer
FM = Fertility Monitor
FMU = First morning urine
FP = Follicular Phase
FRE = First Response Early
FSH = Follicle Stimulating Hormone

G
GCT = Glucose Challenge Test
GIFT = Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer
GnRH = Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone
GP = General Practitioner
GTT = Glucose Tolerance Test

H
HVBAC= Home vaginal birth after c-section
HBAC = home birth after c-section
HCG = Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (pregnancy hormone)
HEPA = Hamster Egg Penetration Assay
HMG = Human Menopausal Gonadotropin
HPT = Home Pregnancy Test
HRT = Hormone Replacement Therapy
HSC = Hysterosco
HSG = Hysterosalpingogram
HSG = Hysterosalpingogram
Hx = History

I
ICI = Intra-Cervical Insemination
ICSI = Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection
ICSI = Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection
IF = Infertility
IM = Intramuscular (injections)
INF - Infertility
IOR = Immature Oocyte Retrieval
ITI = Intra-tubal Insemination
IUGR = Intrauterine Growth Restriction
IUI = Intrauterine Insemination
IVF = In Vitro Fertilization
IVIg = Intravenous Immunoglobulin

J

K

L
LAD = Leukocyte Antibody Detection Assay
LAP = Laparoscopy
LH = Luteinizing Hormone
LIT = Leukocyte Immunization Therapy
LMP = Last Menstrual Period (start date)
LP = Luteal phase
LPD = Luteal Phase Defect
LUF = Luteinized Unruptured Follicle

M
MC, m/c, misc. = Miscarriage
MESA = Microsurgical Epididymal Sperm Aspiration
MF = Male Factor
MFM = Maternal-Fetal Medicine (High Risk Ob)
MS = Morning Sickness

N
NEST = Non-surgical Embryonic Selective Thinning
NK = Natural Killer Cells (CD56+)
NO = No Ovulation
NORIF = Non-Stimulated Oocyte Retrieval in (office) Fertilization
NP = Nurse Practitioner
NSA = Non-Surgical Sperm Aspiration
NST = Non-Stress Test

O
O = Ovulation
OB = Obstetrician
OB/GYN = Obstetrician/Gynecologist
OC = Oral Contraceptives
OCT = Oxytocin Challenge Test
OHSS = Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
OPK = Ovulation Predictor Kit
OTC = Over-the-counter

P
P4 = Progesterone
PA = Physician's Assistant
PC = Post-Coital
PCO, PCOD = Polycystic Ovary Disease
PCOS = Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
PCP = Primary Care Physician
PCT = Post-Coital Test
PESA = Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration
PG = Pregnant
PGD = Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis
PI = Primary Infertility
PID = Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
PIO = Progesterone In Oil
PLI = Paternal Leukocyte Immunization
PMS = Pre-Menstrual Syndrome
POAS = Pee On A Stick
POF = Premature Ovarian Failure
PROM = Premature Rupture of Membranes

Q

R
RE = Reproductive Endocrinologist (Infertility specialist)
R-hFSH = Recombinant Human Follicle Stimulating Hormone
RI = Reproductive Immunologist
ROS = Reactive Oxygen Species
ROTBA Reality on the Blink Again
RPL = Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
RSA = Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion
Rx = Prescription

S
S/A = Sperm/semen analysis
SA = Semen Analysis
SART = Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology
SHG = Sonohysterogram
SI = Secondary Infertility
SLE = Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Sono HSG = Sonohysterogram
SOP =Standard Operational Procedure
SPA = Sperm Penetration Assay
STD = Sexually Transmitted Disease
SUZI = Sub-Zonal Insertion

T
TeBG = Testosterone-Estradiol-Binding Globulin
TESE = Testicular Sperm Extraction
TET = Tubal Embryo Transfer
TL = Tubal Ligation
TORCH = Toxoplasmosis, Other, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, and Herpes test
TR = Tubal Reversal
TRH = Thyroid Releasing Hormone
TSH = Thyroid Stimulating Hormone
TTC = Trying to Conceive
TUFT = Trans-Uterine Fallopian Transfer
Tx = Treatment

U
US, u/s = Ultrasound or ultrasonography
UTI = Urinary Tract Infection

V
V = Vasectomy
VBAC= Vaginal Birth After C-section
VBA2C= Vaginal Birth After 2 -section
VR = Vasectomy Reversal

W
WBC = White Blood Cells

X

Y
YI = Yeast Infection

Z
ZIFT = Zygote Intra-Fallopian Transfer

Guest Post: "I'm Fat!! My Body and Vagina are not BROKEN!!!"

No really....I'm 5'4 and my weight for the past 8 years has fluctuated between 200-250 lbs. During that time and just a little before I have been pregnant 9 times.....2 very devastating very early (2-3 weeks gestation) miscarriages, 6 full term beautifully NORMAL pregnancies and I am currently 25 weeks pregnant and have no 'fat girl' pregnancy issues. All my babies were born vaginally and I have even had 2 (planning on 3) midwife attended home water births. In fact aside from what was diagnosed as pregnancy induced hypertension (blood pressures 140/95) with one pregnancy I have had NONE of the issues my "healthier" skinny friends have had!!

With that said....Why is it an automatic assumption that a bigger pregnant woman equals a plethora of problems during pregnancy, labor and delivery. WHERE IS THE MAGICAL TEXT THAT SAYS I'M BROKEN??? Anyone.....still waiting?? I didn't think so. In my opinion plus size women are at no more risk for problems than any other women. So why do we get treated differently?? Why is the OB/GYN throwing in a glucose test into my first trimester pregnancy panel blood work....Why couldn't I just have been asked if I've had glucose problems in the past?? Why am I being told not to eat McDonald's cheeseburgers because I might gain too much weight or cause baby to be HUGE when I would almost rather starve than eat that! Why am I made to feel like a liar when I say eat healthy and exercise? I do....I think because there is such a stigma around plus size women I fear complications therefore I make a conscious effort to be more active and eat much healthier.

 I'm not trying to say EVERY plus size mom will have an easy time conceiving, being pregnant, laboring and delivering.... But what I am saying is your chances are just as good as any other woman! Medical problems that seem to plague plus size women are also just as common in non plus size pregnancies! We shouldn't have to deal with the added stresses because doctors and staff don't like to deal with us. That alone can almost guarantee you a high blood pressure reading during your prenatal visit, even if you check it at home and get normal numbers.

 Some things I have realized are..have the right to change my health care provider at any time should they make me feel uncomfortable or I just don't care for their bed side manner. I also have a right to a second opinion, the right to discuss PRIVATELY with my partner our options, and the right to simply say NO. So, lets do other women like us a favor and stand up together and say I will no longer accept substandard treatment because of my weight, I will not be scared into unnecessary interventions or tests and I WILL be treated the same as all other women because I'M FAT!!!! My body and vagina are not BROKEN!!!!!    











Guest Post written by Kristina Sharrer, a doula-in-training and crunchy plus-sized mom of 6 beautiful children with another on the way! You can learn more about Kristina at her business website           

A Call for Guest Contributions...

The motto/mission of my blog is "Support for every path to motherhood"...I want to provide support to anyone that feels like they need it as they prepare for pregnancy, birth, and beyond...but I understand that I can only speak to my own experiences and the best way to be able to relate to a wide variety of parents is to KNOW a wide variety of parents and their experience of motherhood!

That being said, I'd like to invite you ladies to write a guest post for me if you'd like  about your experience of motherhood. Be it from the perspective of someone who is a single parent, divorced parent, adoptive parent, someone who has tried a VBAC or elected for RCS, I want to hear from you all. It could be a birth story, but it doesn't have to be...it could be about why you chose to vaccinate or not, why you became a crunchy/green parent, if you had an unassisted birth, if you chose not to find out the sex of your kids, the journey to TTC, miscarriage survivors, rainbow babies...as you can see, I'm not picky lol I just want to be able to share all kinds of stories in hopes that reading them might help someone else going through something similar.

It will help me learn about how others relate to parenting (as I'm a postpartum doula in training), and also it will possibly help someone relate to your experience when they can't relate to mine.

I'd love to hear from anyone that is willing to participate and potentially help someone out there by sharing their experience! My email is MommaFriendly@gmail.com and the blog facebook page is Facebook.com/MommaFriendly. Thanks!!!!

Setting my intentions

Some backstory:
I have been slowly getting crunchier and crunchier since 2011 when I got pregnant with my one and only little guy, who is known as Bu on the interwebs :) I am basically the only remotely crunchy mom I know IRL, and I'm used to getting stares for baby-wearing, what I feed my son, my discipline style, etc. I am also in the middle of a lifestyle change while eating as few processed foods as possible because my husband and I hope to TTC when Bu is 3, and I am trying desperately to have a VBAC. I had a 46 hour augmented labor without pain medication that ended in an emergency c-section, and I want to be able to have the birth experience that I felt I worked for the first time around.

I have constantly and consistently run across opposition since I got pregnant, due mostly to my size or my desire to raise my son in an attached, natural manner. I found that a lot of the time, I felt unsupported in my choices, and sometimes became unsure regardless of how much research I'd done and how sure I was that a given path was the path I wanted to take.

I've shared most every detail of my pregnancy, labor and delivery on the internet, as much for my own reflection as to hopefully educate and inspire others that if you want to do something, you can do it. The education and support is out there if you seek it out. I found several like minded moms online and learned from them about cloth diapering, breastfeeding, cosleeping, babywearing...and whatever they couldn't answer for me, I sought elsewhere. I became obsessed with learning all I could because if my pregnancy and labor taught ME anything, it was that no one will advocate for you like you can.

I have joined several groups and forums now, from crunchy living pages to VBAC support groups, and found that the one thing missing was a page for plus size moms to get together and discuss all of these things. I created Plus Size and Pregnant to fill that gap, and three months later we are a handful shy of 100 members.

I've become sort of notorious among my friends for having as much knowledge as opinions on parenting and labor, so a lot of my non-plus-size friends have sought advice from me as well. "Wouldn't it be wonderful," I thought, "to train specifically in labor, delivery and parenting practices so I could REALLY turn my passion into a calling?"

Hence, Momma Friendly. I want to help all moms, moms to be, and anyone who's ever wanted to be a parent. As long as you're interested  in doing what's best for your children, future or otherwise, I want to do what I can to make that happen. I am about to start training to become a postpartum doula, and I will be talking about that in this blog. In the meantime, I am going to keep bringing articles and resources about related topics, sharing my experiences and thoughts, and answering any questions I receive from any interested parties. If I cannot answer your question myself, I will do my best to point you in the direction of the right resources.

Thank you for reading. I look forward to sharing with and learning from you all!