Glossary of Terms

A young person in the phase of life between childhood and adulthood. Defined by the American Academy of Pediatrics as a person between the ages of 11 and 21, but sometimes defined to include people ages 10–24. Adolescence is a critical period of development in which people experience distinctive biological, cognitive, emotional, and social growth and change.

Services that are accessible, acceptable, equitable, appropriate, and effective for adolescents.

Refers to the sex that is assigned to an infant, most often based on physical sex characteristics, such as the appearance of the infant's genitalia and/or sex chromosomes.

All fertility treatments in which either eggs or embryos are handled. The most common type of ART is in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Refers to the evaluation of something or someone and can be either positive or negative, and implicit or explicit. Implicit bias (also called unconscious bias or hidden bias) are attitudes and beliefs that exist outside of a person’s conscious awareness and can, without intent, contribute to discriminatory behavior. Explicit biases are attitudes and assumptions that a person acknowledges as part of their personal belief system. Bias can include racist, sexist, transphobic, and ableist attitudes and stereotypes.

A sexual orientation that describes a person who acknowledges in themselves the potential to be attracted romantically, emotionally and/or sexually to people of more than one gender, not necessarily at the same time, in the same way, or in the same degree. The "bi" in bisexual can refer to attraction to genders similar to and different from one's own. People who identify as bisexual need not have had equal sexual or romantic experience—or equal levels of attraction—with people across genders, nor any experience at all; attraction and self-identification determines orientation.

Describes a person whose gender identity aligns with that commonly associated with the sex assigned to them at birth. The term cisgender comes from the Latin prefix cis, which means “on the same side of.”

The term “clinic” is used to broadly define the various types of service sites, health centers. and clinical settings where SRH care is provided.

An interactive process between provider and patient intended to help the patient obtain the information they need to achieve their sexual and reproductive health goals including pregnancy prevention and a range of other health conditions contraceptives can benefit.

Services that are respectful of and responsive to the health beliefs, practices, preferred language, health literacy, and other communication needs of patients.

An umbrella term that refers to creating or growing a family through a range of processes.

A broad range of medically approved services, which includes Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved contraceptive products and natural family planning methods for patients who want to prevent pregnancy and space births, pregnancy testing and counseling, assistance to achieve pregnancy, basic infertility services, sexually transmitted infection (STI) services, and other pre-pregnancy health services.

Methods of family planning which involve identifying the fertile days of the menstrual cycle, whether by observing fertility signs such as cervical secretions and basal body temperature or by monitoring cycle days.

A sexual orientation describing people who are primarily emotionally and physically attracted to people of the same sex and/or gender as themselves.

Depending on the context, gender may reference gender identity, gender expression, and/or social gender role, including understandings and expectations culturally tied to people who were assigned male or female at birth. Gender identities other than those of men and women (who can be either cisgender or transgender) include transgender, nonbinary, genderqueer, gender neutral, agender, gender fluid, and “third” gender, among others; many other genders are recognized around the world.

The process of making social, legal, and/or medical changes to recognize, accept, and express one’s gender identity. Social changes can include changing one’s pronouns, name, clothing, and hairstyle. Legal changes can include changing one’s name, sex designation, and gender markers on legal documents. Medical changes can include receiving gender-affirming hormones and/or surgeries. Although this process is sometimes referred to as transition, the term gender affirmation is recommended. 

An umbrella term describing people who have gender identities and/or gender expressions that fall outside of the gender binary of female/girl/woman or male/boy/man (for example, nonbinary, genderqueer, gender fluid people). 

Distress experienced by some people whose gender identity does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) includes gender dysphoria as a diagnosis for people whose distress is clinically significant and impairs social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The degree and severity of gender dysphoria is highly variable among transgender and gender diverse people. 

A person’s inner sense of being a girl/woman/female, boy/man/male, another gender/genders, or having no gender.

A supportive form of health care. It consists of an array of services that may include medical, surgical, mental health, and non-medical services for transgender and gender diverse people. Gender-affirming care treats individuals holistically to affirm and support their gender identity physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially.

When all persons have the opportunity to attain their full health potential and no one is disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or other socially determined circumstances. This requires removing obstacles to health such as poverty, discrimination, and their consequences, including powerlessness and lack of access to good jobs with fair pay, quality education and housing, safe environments, and health care.

A sexual orientation that describes women who are primarily emotionally and physically attracted to men, and men who are primarily emotionally and physically attracted to women. Also referred to as straight.

When all people are fully included and can actively participate in and benefit from services, including, but not limited to, individuals who belong to underserved communities, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons; Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; LGBTQI+ persons; persons with disabilities; persons with larger bodies; persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

A disease, condition, or status characterized by any of the following: The inability to achieve a successful pregnancy based on a patient’s medical, sexual, and reproductive history, age, physical findings, diagnostic testing, or any combination of those factors that may result in the need for medical intervention, including, but not limited to, the use of donor gametes or donor embryos in order to achieve a successful pregnancy either as an individual or with a partner.

Refers to the overlap of social categorizations or identities such as race and ethnicity, sexuality, gender, disability, geography, and class which exist in an individual or group of people that can contribute to discrimination or disadvantage.

Describes a range of variations in primary and secondary sex characteristics that do not fit into binary notions of female or male bodies. Variations may involve sex chromosomes, external genitalia, gonads, hormone production, hormone responsiveness, and/or internal reproductive organs, and may be identified prenatally, at birth, during puberty, or later in life. Some people with an intersex variation choose to label their gender identity as intersex. People with intersex variations are typically assigned a female or male sex at birth; in a few jurisdictions, an infant may be assigned intersex at birth. The medical community sometimes uses the term differences of sex development (DSD) to describe intersex conditions; however, the term intersex is recommended by several intersex community members and groups.

Abuse or aggression that occurs in a romantic relationship. Intimate partner refers to both current and former spouses and dating partners. IPV can include physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, and psychological aggression.

A sexual orientation that describes a woman who is primarily emotionally and physically attracted to other women.

An acronym for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex and more.” The plus is added to recognize the growing understanding of sex and gender including, but not limited to, those who identify as pansexual, two-spirit, androgynous, as well as others.

The use of medical techniques to bring about the conception and birth of a child, including artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, egg and embryo donation, and drug therapy.

A person-centered approach in which pregnant people are offered the opportunity to be provided information and counseling regarding each of the following options: prenatal care and delivery; infant care, foster care, or adoption; and pregnancy termination. If a patient requests information and counseling on pregnancy options, the provider give neutral, factual informative and nondirective counseling on each option, and referral upon request, except with respect to any option(s) about which the pregnant person indicates they do not wish to receive such information and counseling. Family planning and related health service counseling is provided without subjecting individuals to any coercion to accept services or to employ or not to employ any particular methods of family planning.

Address the type or level of program activities conducted (process), the direct products and services delivered by a program (outputs), or the results of those products and services (outcomes). A “program” may be any activity, project, function, or policy that has an identifiable purpose or set of objectives.

A model of care that is respectful of, and responsive to, individual needs, values; individual values guide all clinical decisions.

The health care a person receives before pregnancy to improve the chances of a healthy pregnancy.

The words used to refer to a person other than their name. Common pronouns are she/her/hers, he/him/his, and they/them/theirs. The appropriate phrasing is “What are your pronouns?” when seeking this information.

Providers of reproductive health services include licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives, nurses, and medical aids, in addition to non-medical personnel such as counselors, social workers, health educators, and community health workers.

Health care that is safe, effective, person-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable.

The framework used to systematically improve care. Quality improvement seeks to standardize processes and structure to reduce variation, achieve predictable results, and improve outcomes for patients, health care systems, and organizations. Structure includes things like technology, culture, leadership, and physical capital; process includes knowledge capital (for example, standard operating procedures) or human capital (for example, education and training).

Tools that help measure or quantify health care processes, outcomes, patient perceptions, and organizational structure and/or systems that are associated with the ability to provide high-quality health care and/or that relate to one or more quality goals for health care. These goals include effective, safe, efficient, patient-centered, equitable, and timely care.

An umbrella term describing sexual orientations and gender identities that go beyond heterosexual/straight and cisgender. Any LGBTQIA+ person may identify as queer. Some people use the term queer to reflect the fluidity and complexity of sexual orientation and gender identity. The term "queer" was historically used to slander LGBTQIA+ people, but has been reclaimed by many as a term of pride.

The human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.

The sex assigned to an infant, most often based on the infant’s anatomical and other biological characteristics. Sometimes referred to as birth sex, natal sex, biological sex, or sex; however, sex assigned at birth is the recommended term. The abbreviations AFAB and AMAB are sometimes used to describe individuals who are assigned female at birth or assigned male at birth, respectively.

Having a positive, affirming, and supportive attitude toward all sexual activity that is safe and consensual; demonstrating openness to and respect for a diversity of consensual sexual behaviors, preferences, and identities.

A wide range of sexual behaviors including genital-to-genital contact, genital-to-anal contact, hand-to-genital contact, and masturbation. Some kinds of sexual activity may result in pregnancy or risk STI transmission.

A state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to all aspects of sexuality and reproduction, not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction, or infirmity.

When systems ensure that all people, across the range of age, gender, race, and other intersectional identities, have what they need to attain their highest level of sexual and reproductive health, and includes self-determining and achieving their reproductive goals.

How a person characterizes their emotional and sexual attraction to others.

Sexual activity when consent is not obtained or freely given such as rape, sexual assault, child sexual assault and incest, unwanted sexual contact/touching, sexual harassment, and sexual exploitation.

An acronym for "sexually transmitted infection," which is bacteria, virus, or parasite that is transmitted through sexual contact, including vaginal, anal, and oral sex.

An approach to counseling in which patients are acknowledged as the experts on their preferences and providers contribute medical knowledge about the different options and how they relate to patients' preferences. Shared decision-making enables greater patient autonomy.

Nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes; the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life. These forces and systems include economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies, racism, climate change, and political systems.

An acronym for sexual orientation and gender identity.

A condition in which the recurrent use of alcohol and/or drugs causes clinically significant impairment, including health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home.

A way for providers to offer health care without an in-person visit. Telehealth can include provider-patient interaction over the phone or on a video chat, sending and receiving messages using secure messaging, email and file exchange systems and remote monitoring, such as using devices to track and record vital signs and symptoms to discuss with a provider via the phone or internet.

A type of artificial insemination that uses sperm from an anonymous or known donor to increase the chances of pregnancy.

Describes a person whose gender identity differs from that commonly associated with their sex assigned at birth; for example, a person who identifies as a man who was assigned female at birth or a person who identifies as a woman who was assigned male at birth. Transgender can also describe people with gender identities outside the girl/woman and boy/man gender binary structure; for example, people who are gender fluid or nonbinary. Sometimes abbreviated as trans.

Results from an event, series of events, or a set of circumstances an individual experiences as physically or emotionally harmful or threatening, which may have lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being. Traumatic events may be experienced by an individual, a generation, or an entire community or culture.

A program, organization, or system that realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery; recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in patients, families, staff, and others involved with the system; and responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices, and seeks to actively resist re-traumatization.