Gynaecology and obstetrics glossary: SA, DPNI, FIGO, RCP…

How should this gynaecology glossary be used?

The terms are grouped by theme: pregnancy and childbirth, fertility, periods and the cycle, tests, surgery, organisation of care. An acronym may have several meanings depending on the context: if in doubt, ask your doctor to clarify it. The table below brings together the most common acronyms.

Which pregnancy and childbirth terms should you know?

SA (semaines d'aménorrhée) — weeks of amenorrhoea, i.e. weeks since the last period: the unit used to measure pregnancy in France, counted from the first day of the last period. A pregnancy lasts about 41 SA, i.e. 39 weeks of pregnancy from conception. See "Pregnancy follow-up: consultations, scans and tests month by month".

Clarté nucale — nuchal translucency: thickness of fluid under the skin at the back of the fetus's neck, measured on ultrasound between 11 SA and 13 SA + 6 days; it is included in the calculation of the risk of trisomy 21 (Down syndrome).

DPNI (dépistage prénatal non invasif) — non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT): analysis of free fetal DNA circulating in the mother's blood, offered when the calculated risk of trisomy 21 is intermediate or high. A positive DPNI must be confirmed by an invasive sample.

Amniocentèse — amniocentesis: sampling of amniotic fluid with a needle, under ultrasound guidance, to analyse the fetus's chromosomes.

Diabète gestationnel — gestational diabetes: raised blood sugar level that appears during pregnancy; it is screened for in women at risk.

Prééclampsie — pre-eclampsia: combination, after 20 SA, of high blood pressure and proteinuria (protein in the urine) or other organ involvement; it requires close monitoring.

MFIU (mort fœtale in utero) — intrauterine fetal death (stillbirth): death of the fetus during pregnancy. See "Miscarriage and intrauterine fetal death: understanding and support".

Fausse couche précoce — early miscarriage: loss of a pregnancy before 14 SA, most often related to a chromosomal abnormality of the embryo.

GEU (grossesse extra-utérine) — ectopic pregnancy: pregnancy implanted outside the uterus, most often in a fallopian tube; it may be an emergency.

Péridurale — epidural: regional anaesthesia via a catheter placed in the back, which relieves the pain of childbirth.

Épisiotomie — episiotomy: incision of the perineum at the moment of delivery, performed only if necessary.

Césarienne — caesarean section: delivery of the baby through an incision in the abdomen and uterus. See "Caesarean section: indications, procedure and recovery".

AVAC (accouchement voie basse après césarienne) — vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC): attempt at vaginal birth in a woman with a scarred uterus.

HPP (hémorragie du post-partum) — postpartum haemorrhage (PPH): blood loss of at least 500 ml in the 24 hours following childbirth.

Which fertility and assisted reproduction (AMP) terms will you come across?

Infertilité — infertility: absence of pregnancy after 12 months of regular intercourse without contraception. The CNGOF guidelines suggest starting investigations after one year before the age of 35, and after six months from the age of 35. See "Couple infertility: what tests after a year of trying without pregnancy?".

AMP (assistance médicale à la procréation) — assisted reproductive technology (ART): all the medical techniques that help to achieve a pregnancy: insemination, IVF, ICSI, frozen embryo transfer.

Réserve ovarienne — ovarian reserve: the stock of follicles available in the ovaries; it decreases with age. See "Ovarian reserve: definition, tests (AMH, AFC) and impact on fertility".

AMH (hormone anti-müllérienne) — anti-Müllerian hormone: hormone produced by small follicles; its blood level reflects the ovarian reserve. It predicts the response to stimulation, not the chance of natural pregnancy.

CFA (compte des follicules antraux) — antral follicle count (AFC): number of small follicles visible on ultrasound at the start of the cycle, another indicator of ovarian reserve.

Hystérographie — hysterosalpingography (HSG): X-ray of the uterus and fallopian tubes after injection of a contrast medium through the cervix, to check that the tubes are open.

HyFOSy — hysterosalpingo-foam sonography: ultrasound with injection of a foam into the uterus, which also checks that the tubes are open; the 2022 CNGOF guidelines position it as an alternative to hysterosalpingography.

Spermogramme — semen analysis: analysis of semen (number, motility and shape of sperm), the first-line test for the man.

FIV (fécondation in vitro) — in vitro fertilisation (IVF): fertilisation of the eggs by sperm in the laboratory, followed by transfer of the embryo into the uterus. See "In vitro fertilisation (IVF): procedure, stages and treatment".

ICSI — intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a variant of IVF in which a single sperm is injected directly into each egg.

SOPK (syndrome des ovaires polykystiques) — polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): a common hormonal disorder combining irregular cycles, signs of excess male hormones and an ultrasound appearance of ovaries rich in follicles.

Which terms describe periods and bleeding?

Dysménorrhée — dysmenorrhoea: painful periods. See "Painful or irregular periods: causes and treatments".

SUA (saignement utérin anormal) — abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB): any bleeding that is abnormal in frequency, regularity, duration or volume. See "Heavy periods and bleeding between periods: causes and treatments".

PALM-COEIN: FIGO classification of the causes of abnormal uterine bleeding in non-pregnant women of reproductive age. PALM groups the causes visible on imaging or histology (Polyp, Adenomyosis, Leiomyoma, Malignancy and hyperplasia); COEIN groups the others (Coagulopathy, Ovulatory dysfunction, Endometrial, Iatrogenic, Not yet classified).

Classification FIGO des fibromes — FIGO classification of fibroids: scale from 0 to 8 describing the position of a fibroid in relation to the uterine cavity: from 0 (entirely within the cavity) to 7 (pedunculated under the serosa), with 8 designating other locations. It guides the choice between hysteroscopy and laparoscopy. See "Uterine fibroids: when and how to treat them".

Léiomyome (fibrome, myome) — leiomyoma (fibroid, myoma): a very common benign tumour of the uterine muscle.

Polype de l'endomètre — endometrial polyp: benign growth of the lining of the uterus, a frequent cause of bleeding between periods.

Adénomyose — adenomyosis: presence of tissue similar to the endometrium within the thickness of the uterine muscle, causing heavy and painful periods.

Endométriose — endometriosis: presence of tissue similar to the endometrium outside the uterus (ovaries, peritoneum, ligaments, bowel, bladder). See "Endometriosis in Paris: diagnosis, medical treatment and surgery".

Endométriome — endometrioma: ovarian cyst related to endometriosis, also called a "chocolate cyst".

Ménopause — menopause: permanent cessation of periods, confirmed after 12 months without periods.

THM (traitement hormonal de la ménopause) — menopausal hormone therapy (HRT): treatment combining an oestrogen and, if the uterus is still present, a progestogen. See "Menopausal hormone therapy (HRT): is it really necessary?".

SGUM (syndrome génito-urinaire de la ménopause) — genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM): vaginal dryness, burning and urinary problems related to the fall in oestrogens.

Which tests have a technical name?

Échographie endovaginale — transvaginal ultrasound: ultrasound performed with a thin probe placed in the vagina, more precise than the abdominal route for the uterus and ovaries. See "Pelvic ultrasound in gynaecology: technique and indications".

Hystérosonographie — saline infusion sonohysterography: ultrasound after injection of saline into the uterus, to see the cavity better.

Hystéroscopie diagnostique — diagnostic hysteroscopy: examination of the inside of the uterus with a thin camera passed through the cervix, without an incision. See "Diagnostic hysteroscopy: principle, indications, procedure".

IRM pelvienne — pelvic MRI: imaging without X-rays, useful for endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids and ovarian masses. See "Pelvic MRI in gynaecology: indications, procedure, limitations".

Colposcopie — colposcopy: examination of the cervix under magnification after applying staining solutions, performed after an abnormal smear test.

Frottis cervico-utérin / test HPV — cervical smear / HPV test: sampling of cells from the cervix to screen for cervical cancer; from 25 to 29, the cells are examined (cytology): the first two tests 1 year apart, then every 3 years if normal; from 30 to 65, high-risk human papillomaviruses are looked for (HPV test), 3 years after the last normal smear, then every 5 years as long as the test is negative.

Biopsie d'endomètre — endometrial biopsy: sampling of a small fragment of the lining of the uterus, often with a thin cannula (pipelle), for analysis under the microscope.

Examen anatomopathologique — histopathological examination: analysis under the microscope of tissue removed, which gives the definitive diagnosis of a lesion.

CA 125: blood marker sometimes raised in ovarian cancer, but also in endometriosis or during periods; it is not used for screening.

Score O-RADS — O-RADS score: system for grading the risk of malignancy of an ovarian mass on ultrasound or MRI.

Which terms refer to surgical procedures?

Cœlioscopie (laparoscopie) — laparoscopy (keyhole surgery): surgery on the abdomen through small incisions, using a camera. See "Gynaecological laparoscopy: indications, procedure and recovery".

Laparotomie — laparotomy: surgical opening of the abdomen through a larger incision.

Hystéroscopie opératoire — operative hysteroscopy: surgery inside the uterus through the natural passages (polyp, fibroid, septum, adhesions). See "Operative hysteroscopy: treating the inside of the uterus without an incision".

Hystérectomie — hysterectomy: removal of the uterus, total (with the cervix) or subtotal. See "Hysterectomy: indications, surgical approaches, recovery and risks".

Kystectomie — cystectomy: removal of an ovarian cyst while preserving the ovary.

Myomectomie — myomectomy: removal of one or more fibroids while preserving the uterus.

Embolisation — embolisation: blocking of the arteries that supply a fibroid or a bleeding site, by a radiologist, using microparticles injected through an artery.

Aspiration-curetage — suction curettage: emptying of the contents of the uterus using a suction cannula. See "Uterine suction curettage: procedure, recovery and risks".

Morcellation — morcellation: cutting a uterus or a fibroid into fragments in order to remove it through small incisions; it requires cancer to have been ruled out before the operation.

Which acronyms relate to the organisation of care?

RCP (réunion de concertation pluridisciplinaire) — multidisciplinary team meeting (MDT): meeting of doctors from several specialities who discuss a case and propose a treatment; it is compulsory in cancer care.

CNGOF (Collège national des gynécologues et obstétriciens français) — French College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians: learned society that publishes clinical practice guidelines (RPC, recommandations pour la pratique clinique).

HAS (Haute Autorité de santé) — French National Authority for Health: public authority that publishes guidelines and assesses the quality of care.

FIGO (Fédération internationale de gynécologie et d'obstétrique) — International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics: the body behind the classifications of fibroids, bleeding and cancer stages.

Frequently asked questions

General information article: it does not replace a medical consultation. In an emergency, call 15 or 112 in France, or your local emergency number.