Disclaimer - Visiting a healthcare provider is stressful! On top of having to share personal stories or showing different parts of your body, doctors sometimes use words that are really confusing! Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common words you might encounter.
See our guides on Finding and Choosing a Healthcare Provider and Preparing for your Appointment.
Terms you’ll most often hear when talking to a healthcare provider
Different kinds of medicines that kill infection-causing bacteria. Antibiotics can be used to treat STIs like chlamydia, syphilis and yeast infections. Antibiotics are also prescribed to help with seasonal colds, cuts or lung infections.
Different kinds of prescription drugs that are used to treat depression, and sometimes anxiety. A doctor might prescribe them alone or with other kinds of treatments for mental health; such as diet, exercise, therapy, or other kinds of drugs.
Different from confidential testing - not all testing is anonymous. Sometimes test results, for example for many STIs, must be shared with public health. Ask your health care provider about testing options.
One of the most common infections in the vagina, caused by a combination of several bacteria. Sometimes the discharge can smell thin, milky or can have a strong odor. If this sounds familiar, it’s best to contact a healthcare provider! For more information click here
Removal of a small sample of tissue for testing. A cervical biopsy (or a colposcopy) would remove the tissue specifically from the cervix. If you don’t know where that is, here’s a handy diagram.
The lowest part of the uterus where babies can pass through. In some ways, it kind of acts like a door that keeps outside bacteria out of the womb. If you don’t know where a cervix is, here’s a handy diagram!
An operation where the foreskin that covers the tip of the penis is removed. Sometimes people get circumcised when they are very little, for ceremonial or personal reasons.
A bundle of nerves around a vagina or vulva that can feel really good if it’s stimulated. For many years, scientists thought the clitoris was a little bulb that sat on top of the vulva. We now know that the clitoris is so much bigger, and kind of looks like a butterfly. If you don’t know what it looks like, here’s a handy diagram.
Another word for birth control. Contraceptives are often classified as hormonal vs. non-hormonal, emergency (like the morning after pill), or Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (like an IUD). Here’s a couple of examples! For more information read our section on contraception and safer sex.
The tissue that lines the inside of the uterus and sheds each month during menstruation (also known as “a period”).
The inability to attain or maintain an erection. You can sometimes take medication to help.
Sometimes called a “sex hormone”. Estrogen tells different parts of a body to develop or maintain characteristics typical of feminine people, such as growing breasts, menstruating, etc. Trans feminine people will sometimes take synthetic estrogen to get these kinds of features.
A hormone that helps stimulate ovaries to release an egg once a month. Sometimes that egg is fertilized by a sperm, and sometimes not.
A doctor with specialized training in sexual health and reproduction. Typically these are doctors who care for people before pregnancy occurs.
● Obstetrician/Obstetrics- similarly, they are doctors with specialized training in sexual health, but they typically support people during and after pregnancy.
An umbrella term used to describe all kinds of people who work in the healthcare system. This includes people like doctors, nurses, nutritionists, massage therapists, community members, etc.
A kind of therapy where a healthcare provider prescribes hormones (usually synthetic kind of estrogen or testosterone) for trans people. HRT can help trans people feel more like themselves, and develop parts of their body typically associated with femininity or masculinity (like facial hair, breast or voice changes). It can also be prescribed for older people going through menopause.
Human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) is a virus that attacks the immune system. The immune system is the body’s germ fighting system. Most people who get treatment early and take medicines for HIV can live long, healthy lives. HIV impacts different communities differently due to many issues including discrimination which leads to limited access to treatment and other barriers that impact health. Click here for more information, or check out our STIs page.
Sometimes called the “vagina” (even though it’s not quite accurate) but it’s the outer part of the “female” genitals that we can see. Sometimes people call them labia majora and minora. If you don’t know what it looks like, here’s a handy diagram.
Level of desire to have sex or not. Another word for “sex drive”.
A hormone that helps stimulate the reproductive system. For people with a penis, LH tells the body to produce testosterone, which is necessary to keep sperm alive. For people with vaginas, LH tells the body to release eggs from the ovaries. Sometimes the egg is fertilized by sperm, and sometimes not.
Another word for period. Click here for the full definition.
The health that affects how we think, feel, and act. It’s important for our emotional, psychological and social well-being.
Cells are taken from the cervix, and tested for cancer. PAP test can sometimes be uncomfortable, because healthcare providers must use a tool called a speculum, in order to get to the cells that need to be tested. Here’s what you can expect.
An examination where a healthcare provider inserts a speculum and examines the vulva, vagina, cervix and uterus. This examination could mean taking samples of cells and might feel for any lumps or changes. A PAP test is usually done during a pelvic exam. Here’s what you can expect.
A doctor with specialized training in health of children and young people.
One of the external body parts of a reproductive system. Here’s a diagram of some of the different parts of the penis.
Another word for a doctor. Someone who is qualified to practice medicine.
A common disorder for people who have vaginas, and is caused by hormonal imbalances. Symptoms can include periods that aren’t regular, acne, obesity, or excess hair growth.
A combination of physical and mood disturbances that can occur after ovulation and normally end after someone’s period (menstruation). The little research on this phenomenon says very different things. Since PMS often occurs in cisgender women, there are theories that say the idea of PMS was invented as a way to explain why women are emotional and to put them down.
Sometimes called a “sex hormone”. Progesterone tells the body to prepare for an egg to become fertilized so it can be taken care of.
Another word for cum. The sperm and other fluids that come through the end of the penis when someone has an orgasm.
A medical problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents someone from enjoying themselves.
Sexually Transmitted Infection Over the years the term has shifted from “sexually transmitted disease” (STD) to STI, as many (but not all) STIs are short term curable infections not long term or permanent diseases. The shift was made as a way to decrease stigma and fear and instead encourage disclosure. For more information click here.
Foams, jellies or tablets that someone can place in their vagina before sex that kills sperm. It is often used together with condoms and diaphragms. For more information click here.
Sometimes called a “sex hormone”. Testosterone tells different parts of a body to develop or maintain characteristics typical of masculine people, such as facial hair, growing muscle mass or lowering voice. Trans masculine people will sometimes take synthetic testosterone to get these kinds of features. Check out our puberty and gender sections for more information.
A condition where bacteria from outside the body gets into the urinary tract (where pee goes through) and causes an infection. Someone with a urinary tract infection might have a hard time peeing because it hurts or burns. If you are having these symptoms, best to speak to a healthcare practitioner! For more information click here.
A common bacterial infection caused by fungus. The bacteria can change the chemical imbalance that might cause the vagina to itch, secrete excessive discharge, or smell different. Yeast infections can sometimes be treated with over the counter creams you can buy at the pharmacy, but if it’s really bad, you might have to talk to a healthcare practitioner. For more information click here.
One of the internal body parts of a reproductive system. Here’s a diagram of some of the different parts of a vagina.