Ever been on a message board where everyone seems to be talking in a secret language? Terms like TTC, EDD, and PG are being thrown around and you can’t help but start to feel a little lost.
Well, my friend, we’re here to help. Here is the ultimate guide for all the surrogacy terms and abbreviations you need to know.
Let’s start with the people that are on this journey together. Everyone has been given an abbreviated name to make communication a little simpler. Because let’s be honest, no one likes to type out reproductive endocrinologist too many times.
This term refers to the eggs retrieved from your donor.
This term refers to the woman who donated her eggs to the intended couple.
This term refers to a man recipient of assisted reproductive technology (ART).
This refers to a woman recipient of assisted reproductive technology (ART).
This term refers to the couple that will be the baby’s parents.
This term is used when talking about the surrogate and the type of surrogacy. With a gestational surrogate or carrier, the surrogate is not related to the baby.
The obstetrician is the doctor looking after the Surrogate while she is pregnant.
A pre-birth order is a legal document that establishes the intended parent(s) as the legal parent(s) on the birth certificate. In some less surrogacy-friendly states, a pre-birth order is necessary to name the intended parents on the birth certificate to establish them the legal parents of the baby.
This term refers to the fertility doctor(s) alongside your journey to parenthood.
This term refers to the man whose sperms are used to fertilize the egg.
This is a shortened term for a surrogate.
Traditional surrogates refer to when the surrogate is both the egg donor and the carrier of the baby. The TS does share a biological connection to the child, unlike a gestational surrogate.
The Medical side of in vitro and surrogacy can get complicated. Add some unknown abbreviations and you’re sure to be confused. Here’s a breakdown of the medical terms you may see.
This refers to the time between implantation (embryo transfer) and getting a positive or negative blood pregnancy test result.
Slang for your monthly period. ‘Nuff said.
The process for conceiving with a traditional surrogate. This is only done if the surrogate is the egg donor as well.
How you announce a negative pregnancy test (hopefully you never have to).
How you announce a positive pregnancy test!
A way to gauge the pounds vs. height of an egg donor or surrogate. Some agencies and medical offices use this as a tool to measure a healthy weight.
This term refers to when your doctor tells you to limit your activity due to the strain on the pregnancy.
The method used to count the days post the retrieval of the eggs.
The method used to count the days after the eggs have been transferred. Also used PT
This is, well, your estimated due date! When surrogates and intended parents experience successful fertilization and a BFP on the blood pregnancy test, you’ll have an estimated due date.
A step within in vitro fertilization, the embryo transfer is a process your fertility specialist manages that involves transferring unfrozen fertilized embryos into your or your surrogate’s uterus.
An alternative to an embryo transfer, a frozen embryo transfer is a process of implanting the frozen embryos into your or your surrogate’s uterus.
hCG is the hormone produced early in pregnancy, which is naturally released after successful implantation. This is what triggers a BFP during your pregnancy test.
The process of putting fertilized eggs into the surrogate. For gestational surrogates, IVF is used to fertilize the intended parents’ sperm and eggs to create a biological connection with the intended parents, not the surrogate.
Intrauterine insemination is a fertility treatment that involves placing sperm within a woman’s uterus to facilitate fertilization.
As an egg donor or surrogate, you will get asked this a lot!
The one word everyone wants to hear!
Genetic analysis on a live embryo to determine if there is any abnormality or genetic disease in chromosomes. By examining each embryo, your fertility specialist can determine the strongest, healthiest embryo(s) to implant within the surrogate or intended mother to increase your chances of a successful conception.
Genetic analysis on a live embryo to assess the number of chromosomes present. If more or less than 46 chromosomes are present (2 pairs of 23), there is an aneuploidy -- too many or too few chromosomes in the embryo.
A term to describe couples having unprotected sex to begin their journey into parenthood.
A non-invasive procedure to check on the baby, ultrasounds are done periodically throughout the pregnancy. Ultrasounds can confirm the pregnancy, reveal the baby’s heartbeat, and see images at different stages in the pregnancy journey. If you’re expecting twins or multiples, your doctor may decide to do more ultrasounds.
So, there you have it. Your basic guide to the most commonly used Surrogacy terms and abbreviations used. Now when you jump on the message boards, you’ll be able to communicate like a pro.
And remember, we’re here for you. If you have any other questions regarding surrogacy, don’t hesitate to contact us. We here for all your questions and concerns.
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