What is the BFN meaning in TTC?

Find out the BFN meaning and other signs of pregnancy at Peanut – giving you conception guidance when you need it most.
Parenting in the modern day is hard enough with balancing work life, home life, and social media – but what about all the new language we have to deal with?

If you’re joining a new community of mommas, chances are you’ll be connecting over your smartphone and social media – which means you’ll have to learn the lingo.

So, what does BFN mean in pregnancy?

We’ll give you a hint: it’s one of a few abbreviations you’re going to have to pick up throughout your pregnancy journey.

In this article: 📝

What does BFN stand for in pregnancy?

If you’re trying for a baby, it’s not something you want to hear!

A BFN stands for ‘big fat negative’, and it’s paired with, unsurprisingly, BFP – big fat positive.

You may have also heard of the BFP pregnancy test.

This relies on a strip of litmus paper which you can dip into a container of your urine.

It’s arguably easier than peeing on a stick, and up to 99% effective!

Of course, while a BFP is likely to be a true representation ([false positives](https://www.peanut-app.io/blog/false-positive-pregnancy-test0 are extremely rare), it’s not always the case with BFNs.

One reason for this is timing your pregnancy test.

It can be easy to get disheartened and tell everyone you’ve suffered a BFN, but it could simply be an issue of timing.

Why might my BFN result be wrong?

When you take a pregnancy test, the test is looking for signs of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).

This usually kicks in at around five weeks into the pregnancy as your baby develops, or as soon as the embryo implants and starts to grow.

There needs to be enough of this hormone present in your urine for the results to show up.

So, it may simply be a case of taking the test at the wrong time of day – for example, if you’ve had too much water.

Or, you may be too early on in your pregnancy, so don’t be disheartened if you do get the BFN!

So, now that we know where we’re at with the BFN, what other terms should you know about?

What does DH mean in pregnancy talk?

Unlike something scientific like IVF (that’s in vitro fertilization, since you asked), DH is far simpler to remember.

It means ‘darling husband’, so you’ll likely see it cropping up when married couples discuss their conception plans.

Other variations of this include ‘DS’ (darling son), ‘DC’ (darling child), and ‘DD’ (darling daughter).

You can also switch out the ‘darling’ for ‘dear.’

No mention of darling wives or girlfriends, but we’ll get there, ladies!

What does AF stand for in fertility?

We’ve probably all heard the various kid-speak of ‘adjective’ + AF, but we’re keeping this one PG-13.

Rather, in a fertility context, ‘AF’ means ‘Aunt Flo.’

If you’re trying to get pregnant, this one’s just about as welcome as a BFN, as it usually means your period has started and the egg has not been fertilized.

If you’re not sure though, it’s always wise to check.

Some women experience symptoms of pregnancy and have negative tests, and vice versa – so speak to your doctor.

What does BFN stand for in medical terms?

Quite apart from the negative ‘big fat’ meaning, you may have also heard of BFN in a medical context.

For example, you may have seen the term ‘breastfeeding network.’

These organizations help to give women advice on breastfeeding, including the benefits for mother and baby, and how long to do it for.

In slightly scarier terms, it may also mean ‘benign ethnic neutropenia’, which is an asymptomatic condition in adults of African and Middle Eastern descent.

If you see this one on anything other than a pregnancy forum, it would be a disease – but it’s safe to say it’s more likely to do with conception!

How to deal with a BFN

So, you’ve been trying for a while and you’ve been confronted with another BFN.

What should you do?

First of all, it’s worth noting that conception times vary hugely depending on a range of factors.

For example:

• Eight out of 10 couples under the age of 40 can take up to a year to get pregnant.
  
• Nine out of 10 couples will get pregnant after two years of trying.

If you’re under 30, you have a 70% chance of getting pregnant within a year.

This falls to 60% by age 35, and 40% by age 40.

It’s still possible after age 40, but this may be considered a ‘geriatric pregnancy’ and your doctor may suggest fertility treatment.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle, cut out the alcohol, and keep those coffees to a minimum.

If you’re both a healthy weight and don’t smoke, you can up your chances of conceiving naturally.

If you’re under 40 and haven’t conceived within a year, you may wish to discuss your options with a doctor or request some tests.

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