Top 10 Surrogacy Acronyms you need to know

10 Oct Top 10 Surrogacy Acronyms you need to know

The medical industry can get overwhelming really quickly. Now add surrogacy acronyms to the normal medical jargon and it’s a recipe for anxiety. Let us help you gain some confidence and clarity by providing the top ten acronyms you need to know. 

1. BW (Bloodwork): Anytime you have blood work done, whether its giving blood or having blood taken
2. 2WW (two-week wait): The two weeks you wait after your embryo transfer to see if the transfer was successful and you are pregnant
3. DPT (Days post transfer): The number of days after your transfer. You will usually see it with a number like 13DPT, which would mean 13 days after your transfer.
4. ET (Embryo Transfer): A procedure in which embryos created by a donor or the IPs will be placed into the surrogate’s uterus for implementation.
5. GC (Gestational Carrier): the person carrying the embryo, also referred to as a surrogate
6. IP (intended parent): the mother or father that will receive the baby after it is born
7. HCG (Human chorionic gonadotropin): a hormone created by cells from the placenta that indicates a pregnancy has occurred.
8. IVF (InVitro Fertilization): the process in which embryos are created using assisted reproduction technologies
9. PIO (progesterone in oil): These are shots your GC will inject into her backside before, during, and after embryo transfer. 
10. US or U/S (ultrasound): a non-invasive imaging test that shows your baby inside the uterus (also known as a sonograph)

While this list could go on and on, we feel these terms will give you a solid foundation of phrases you will hear as you begin your surrogacy journey. 

If you ever feel confused or overwhelmed during the process, please reach out to us. We are here to support you in any way we can!