Anovulation Refers to the lack of ovulation. Many women with PCOS experience anovulatory menstrual cycles, where no egg is released from an ovary, and thus pregnancy can be difficult to achieve.
BBT Basal Body Temperature. Charting the basal body temperature can help you track your menstrual cycle and determine when (and whether) you are ovulating. It can also be useful to determine if there is a luteal phase defect. An excellent source for more information is Toni Weschler's Taking Charge of Your Fertility.
BCP Birth Control Pill. Hormonal contraceptive.
BFP Big Fat Positive. A positive pregnancy test.
CD Cycle Day. Refers to the day of the menstrual cycle, with CD 1 being the first day of the menstrual period. Typically ovulation would be expected to occur around CD 14-18.
Ectopic Pregnancy
Estrace (Estradiol) A drug containing estradiol, a form of estrogen, used in infertility treatment to thicken and maintain the uterine lining to increase the chances of implantation. It can be administered in pill form orally or vaginally, or in cream form. Estrogen can also be administered via skin patch.
Femara (generic name Letrozole) A breast cancer drug that is effective in improving ovulation in women with PCOS.
Follicle
FSH Follicle Stimulating Hormone.
Gonal F (Follitropin Alfa) An injectible drug used to stimulate follicle growth.
Hirsutism Excess hair growth in women with PCOS due to an overproduction of androgens. This results in sometimes dark, coarse hair growth, most commonly on the upper lip, chin/beard area, breasts, lower abdomen, inner thighs, and lower back, and less commonly on the chest, upper abdomen, and upper back.
HSG Hysterosalpingogram. An x-ray of the uterus and fallopian tubes, using dye, to determine if there are any blockages in the tubes and whether the anatomy is abnormal.
Infertility The inability to conceive or maintain a pregnancy after one year of regular unprotected sexual intercourse.
IUI Intrauterine Insemination. As used in this blog, a treatment for infertility wherein the male partner's semen is collected, analyzed, and washed, then introduced directly into the female partner's uterus using a catheter following ovary stimulation with drugs to ensure ovulation. Washing the sperm removes parts of the semen that may inhibit the sperm's movement up into the fallopian tubes, and ensures that the best sperm are used.
IVF In Vitro Fertilization.
Letrozole (brand name Femara) A breast cancer drug that is effective in improving ovulation in women with PCOS.
LH Leutenizing Hormone.
LMP Last Menstrual Period. The date of the first day of the most recent menstrual period.
Metformin A diabetes drug also used to treat women with PCOS.
Miscarriage The loss of a pregnancy before 24 weeks gestation.
OPK Ovulation Predictor Kit. A way to chemically determine if ovulation is imminent, by measuring the luteinizing hormone in the female partner's urine.
Ovulation The release of an egg from an ovary.
PCOS Polycystic ovary syndrome. Please click here for more information.
Progesterone A female hormone essential for maintaining a pregnancy, among other things. Progesterone can be prescribed to accompany fertility treatments to increase the chances of conception and decrease chances of early miscarriage.
Semen Analysis A test of male fertility performed using semen collected (usually after masturbation) to determine a sperm count and the overall health of the male partner's sperm.
Spironolactone A prescription drug effective in treating hirsutism and acne in women with PCOS. It works by lowering the levels of androgens.
TTC Trying To Conceive.
Unexplained Infertility Infertility even though all factors appear to be functioning properly.
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