Baseline ultrasound A pelvic ultrasound performed on CD2-3. This shows how many follicles you have on your ovaries, or whether there are any abnormalities like cysts or PCOS. This determines how to move forward with fertility drugs for your current cycle.
Endometrium The lining of the uterus. It starts off very thin at the start of a menstrual cycle, and it gets thicker in preparation for implantation. If no implantation occurs, it’s shed once you get your period.
Fallopian Tubes These are the two long, slender tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus. Eggs travel into the fallopian tubes, (hopefully) get fertilized, and then exit the tubes into the uterus and implant. Consider them nature’s highway.
Fertilization The magical miracle of sperm meeting egg. The monthly window for fertilization is only a few days; however, once an egg is released during ovulation, it only survives 12-24 hours. Sperm, on the other hand, can hang out in the woman’s body for up to five days, which is why it’s important to BD up to and one day after your ovulation.
Follicle The most basic building blocks of the female reproductive system. They hang out in the ovaries and every month, several start growing and maturing with the help of hormones like Estrogen, FSH and LH. One will eventually burst through the ovary and enter the fallopian tubes during ovulation each month.
Follicular phase The first couple weeks of your menstrual cycle. It begins on CD1 – the first day of full, red flow and ends at ovulation. During the follicular phase, 15-20 follicles begin to grow and mature, the “best” ones reaching sizes of around 20-25mm. One of these follicles will eventually release a mature egg (ovum), which will enter the fallopian tube for fertilization. A normal follicular phase lasts between 12-20 days, but in some women, it can take much longer.
Hydro-sonogram A medical procedure usually performed by your RE. It begins like a basic pap smear, then a catheter is inserted into your uterus through your cervix. Water is then squirted through the catheter to fill the uterus, enabling your doctor to clearly see the uterus on an ultrasound and check for abnormalities like blockages or polyps. Not nearly as painful as it sounds; it feels like an overzealous pap test.
Implantation When the fertilized egg (now called a blastocyst) settles into the uterine lining (endometrium). This occurs 6-10 days after conception.
Luteal Phase The second half of your menstrual cycle. It begins on the first day of your ovulation, usually signified by a sharp rise in BBT and a flood of new hormones. It ends at the first day of your next full, red flow. While the follicular phase can vary from cycle to cycle and person to person, the luteal phase is incredibly consistent, lasting between 12-16 days. The onset of ovulation in the first half of your cycle can be delayed by various factors, but once the luteal phase starts, it is impossible to stop.
Menstruation/Menstrual Cycle Your period. There are actually two different phases that make up the menstral cycle: see follicular phase and luteal phase.
Mittelschmerz Ovulation pain. Usually felt as a sharp,twingey pain in your extreme lower abdomen, right in the middle of your cycle. Usually felt on only one side – the side that released the egg during ovulation.
Ovulation Calculator A calculator or charting tool to find out when you are most fertile. There are several apps available which can track everything from ovulation and periods to BBT, pregnancy due dates, CP, CM, etc. They are pretty much a must-have when TTC.
Progesterone One of the female reproductive hormones, which is produced by the ovary and placenta during ovulation. It’s what thickens the lining of the uterus for implantation of a fertilized egg, and helps maintain the pregnancy. It’s also a heat-producing hormone, so this is what causes a spike in BBT right after ovulation.
My Stork Got Lost 