OET Gynaecology Vocabulary: 68 Women’s Health Terms with Plain-English Meanings

Gynaecology is one of the clinical areas an OET task can be built around: a Listening Part A consultation about heavy periods, a Speaking role-play where you explain a cervical screening result, a set of Writing case notes full of abbreviations like LMP and PV. The difficulty is rarely the medicine. It is that you need each word in three forms: the medical term you hear and read, the plain words you say to a patient, and the short form that appears in notes.

This page gives you all three for the terms you are most likely to meet. Spelling is British, as used in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, with the American spelling noted where it differs. OET accepts either. For the general terms and abbreviations that come up in every specialty, start with our OET Vocabulary guide.

How to use this list

Each table has the same three columns.

Column	What it is for
Medical term	What you will hear in Listening and read in Reading and in Writing case notes. Learn to spell it
Say to a patient	What to use in a Speaking role-play. Assessors mark you down for unexplained jargon
In notes	How the term typically appears in case notes or a referral letter

Do not try to memorise everything in one sitting. Take one table a day, cover the middle column, and say the patient version aloud.

Anatomy: the words everything else is built on

Medical term	Say to a patient	In notes
uterus	womb	bulky uterus on examination
cervix	neck of the womb	cervix appears healthy
ovary (plural ovaries)	ovary; one of the two organs that release eggs	left ovary enlarged
fallopian tube	tube; the tube that carries the egg to the womb	tubes patent (open)
endometrium	lining of the womb	thickened endometrium on scan
vulva	the skin around the opening of the vagina	vulval itching (US vulvar)
perineum	the skin between the vagina and the back passage	perineal tear
pelvic floor	the muscles that support your bladder, womb and bowel	weak pelvic floor
adnexa	the ovaries and tubes	no adnexal masses or tenderness

Gynaecological pain is usually described by region. If you are unsure of suprapubic, iliac fossa or groin, see our Medical English Body Parts A–Z.

Periods and the menstrual cycle

Most of these end in -rrhoea (flow) or start with men- (month). American spelling drops the o: amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea.

Medical term	Say to a patient	In notes
menstruation (also menses)	your period	menses regular, 5/28 (5 days of bleeding every 28 days)
menarche	your first period	menarche at 12
menopause	when your periods stop for good	menopause at 51
perimenopause	the years leading up to the menopause	perimenopausal symptoms
amenorrhoea	no periods	6/12 amenorrhoea (six months)
dysmenorrhoea	painful periods	severe dysmenorrhoea since menarche
menorrhagia (now often heavy menstrual bleeding)	heavy periods	menorrhagia with clots
oligomenorrhoea	periods that come far apart	oligomenorrhoea, cycle 40–60 days
intermenstrual bleeding	bleeding between periods	IMB for 3/12
postcoital bleeding	bleeding after sex	PCB x2 this month
postmenopausal bleeding	bleeding after the menopause	PMB: urgent referral
premenstrual syndrome	mood changes, bloating or breast tenderness in the week or two before a period	PMS, worse in last 12/12
hot flushes (US hot flashes)	sudden feelings of heat	hot flushes and night sweats

Symptoms

Medical term	Say to a patient	In notes
dyspareunia	pain during sex	deep dyspareunia
vaginal discharge	discharge; fluid from the vagina	offensive PV discharge (bad-smelling)
pruritus vulvae	itching of the skin around the opening of the vagina	pruritus vulvae, worse at night
pelvic pain	pain low down in your tummy	chronic pelvic pain
stress incontinence	leaking urine when you cough, sneeze or exercise	stress incontinence since second delivery
urge incontinence	a sudden need to pass urine, and leaking before you reach the toilet	urgency and urge incontinence

Two cautions. Pruritus ends in -us, not -is: it is one of the most commonly misspelt words in medical English. And stress incontinence has nothing to do with emotional stress, so explain it before a patient misunderstands.

Conditions

Medical term	Say to a patient	In notes
endometriosis	tissue like the lining of the womb grows in other places, which can cause pain and sometimes difficulty getting pregnant	laparoscopy confirmed endometriosis
fibroids (uterine leiomyomas)	non-cancerous growths in the wall of the womb	multiple fibroids, largest 6 cm
polycystic ovary syndrome (renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome in 2026)	a hormone condition that can cause irregular periods, extra hair growth and difficulty getting pregnant	PCOS diagnosed 2021
ovarian cyst	a fluid-filled sac on the ovary	4 cm simple ovarian cyst
pelvic inflammatory disease	an infection of the womb, tubes and ovaries	treated for PID
vulvovaginal candidiasis	thrush (UK, Australia); a yeast infection (US)	recurrent candidiasis
bacterial vaginosis	a change in the balance of the normal bacteria in the vagina, which can cause discharge with a strong fishy smell	BV on swab
sexually transmitted infection	an infection passed on through sex	STI screen negative
pelvic organ prolapse	the womb, bladder or bowel has dropped down into the vagina	grade 2 uterine prolapse
atrophic vaginitis (now usually genitourinary syndrome of menopause)	dryness and soreness of the vagina after the menopause, sometimes with urinary symptoms, caused by low oestrogen	atrophic changes noted
cervical intraepithelial neoplasia	abnormal cells on the neck of the womb. It is not cancer, but it can sometimes become cancer if it is not monitored or treated	CIN 2 on biopsy
ectopic pregnancy	a pregnancy that is growing outside the womb, usually in one of the tubes	?ectopic: urgent scan
miscarriage	losing a pregnancy	2 previous miscarriages
subfertility (also infertility)	difficulty getting pregnant	primary subfertility, 18/12

Three notes on this table.

• PCOS has a new name. In May 2026 it was renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), and the NHS already uses the new name. Existing notes and most practice materials still say PCOS, so learn both.
• Miscarriage has a time limit that depends on the country. It means the loss of a pregnancy before 24 weeks in the UK, and before 20 weeks in Australia and the US.
• Handle one term with care. Older UK notes and much current American medical writing use spontaneous abortion for miscarriage. Never say that to a patient. Say miscarriage.

Examinations and investigations

In a role-play these are the terms you will most often have to explain, because the patient is about to have the procedure and is worried about it.

Medical term	Say to a patient	In notes
speculum examination	I’ll use a small instrument to gently open the vagina so I can see the neck of the womb	speculum: cervix healthy
bimanual examination	an internal examination: I’ll place two fingers inside the vagina and my other hand on your tummy, to feel the womb and ovaries	bimanual: no masses
cervical screening (formerly smear test in the UK and Pap smear in Australia; US Pap test)	a test to help prevent cervical cancer. A small sample of cells is taken from the neck of the womb and checked for a virus called HPV, which can cause abnormal cells	cervical screening up to date
high vaginal swab	a sample taken from the top of the vagina with a cotton bud, to check for infection	HVS sent
transvaginal ultrasound	an internal scan. A small probe is gently placed inside the vagina	TVUS: endometrial thickness 4 mm
colposcopy	a closer look at the neck of the womb through a microscope. The microscope stays outside your body	referred for colposcopy
hysteroscopy	a thin camera is passed through the vagina and the neck of the womb to look inside the womb	hysteroscopy and biopsy
laparoscopy	keyhole surgery: a camera is passed through a small cut near your belly button	diagnostic laparoscopy
endometrial biopsy	a small sample taken from the lining of the womb	endometrial biopsy: benign
urine hCG	a pregnancy test on a urine sample	urine hCG negative

Belly button is the patient word for the umbilicus, and tummy for the abdomen. Both are normal in British and Australian consultations.

Treatments and procedures

Three endings do most of the work here: -ectomy (removal), -scopy (looking with an instrument) and -otomy (cutting into, as in laparotomy, an operation through a larger cut in the tummy).

Medical term	Say to a patient	In notes
hysterectomy	an operation to remove the womb	TAH 2019
oophorectomy	an operation to remove one or both ovaries	TAH + BSO
salpingectomy	an operation to remove one or both fallopian tubes	left salpingectomy for ectopic
myomectomy	an operation to remove fibroids and leave the womb in place	open myomectomy
endometrial ablation	a procedure that destroys or removes the lining of the womb to make periods lighter	endometrial ablation 2022
LLETZ (US LEEP)	abnormal cells are removed from the neck of the womb with a thin heated wire	LLETZ for CIN 3
dilatation and curettage (US dilation)	a short operation to remove tissue from inside the womb	hysteroscopy and D&C
intrauterine device	the copper coil	IUD in situ (in place)
intrauterine system	the hormonal coil	IUS fitted 2024
combined oral contraceptive pill	the combined pill, often just called the pill	on COCP
progestogen-only pill (US progestin-only pill)	the mini-pill	on POP
emergency contraception	contraception used after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy: the morning-after pill or a copper coil	emergency contraception given
hormone replacement therapy (Australia menopausal hormone therapy; US also hormone therapy)	medicine that tops up the hormones your body makes less of around the menopause	commenced HRT
pessary	(1) a soft device, often a ring, placed in the vagina to hold up a prolapse; (2) a tablet you put into the vagina	ring pessary changed / clotrimazole pessary
pelvic floor exercises (US Kegel exercises)	exercises to strengthen the muscles around your bladder and vagina	advised pelvic floor exercises
female sterilisation (tubal ligation)	having your tubes tied	laparoscopic sterilisation

In American and Australian English IUD covers both types (copper IUD, hormonal IUD), and coil is mainly a British word. Sterilisation is spelt with a z in American English.

Cervical screening differs by country. In the UK and Australia the sample is tested for HPV first, and the cells are examined only if HPV is found. In the US the Pap test, which looks at the cells, is still used, with or without an HPV test.

Abbreviations you will see in case notes

Case notes in Writing, and some texts in Reading Part A, often use abbreviations like these without explanation.

Abbreviation	Stands for	Note
O&G (US OB/GYN)	obstetrics and gynaecology	The department or specialty
LMP	last menstrual period	Counted from the first day of bleeding
PV	per vaginam (through or from the vagina)	PV bleeding, PV examination
HMB	heavy menstrual bleeding	The newer name for menorrhagia
IMB / PCB / PMB	intermenstrual / postcoital / postmenopausal bleeding
G2 P1	gravida 2, para 1	Two pregnancies, counting a current one, and one birth
PCOS	polycystic ovary syndrome	Renamed PMOS in 2026. Expect both
PID	pelvic inflammatory disease
STI	sexually transmitted infection	STD is the older term, still common in the US
BV	bacterial vaginosis
HVS	high vaginal swab
TVUS (also TVS)	transvaginal ultrasound scan
CIN	cervical intraepithelial neoplasia	Graded 1 to 3
TAH	total abdominal hysterectomy
BSO	bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy	Removal of both tubes and both ovaries
D&C	dilatation and curettage	US dilation
IUD / IUS	intrauterine device / system	Also IUCD for the copper coil. In obstetric notes IUD can also mean intrauterine death. Read the context
COCP	combined oral contraceptive pill
POP	progestogen-only pill, or pelvic organ prolapse	Two meanings. Read the context
HRT	hormone replacement therapy
TOP	termination of pregnancy	Say ending the pregnancy or abortion to a patient

How this vocabulary is tested in each sub-test

Listening Part A: you have to spell it

Part A is note completion: you hear a consultation once and write the missing words. Patients mostly use plain words (heavy periods), but the health professional may use the term, and the gap may need it. OET accepts both British and American spelling. The words that cost marks are the long ones written under time pressure:

• -rrhoea and -rrhagia words: two rs and an h. amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, menorrhagia
• gynaecology / gynaecologist (US gynecology)
• oestrogen (US estrogen) and progesterone
• hysterectomy, hysteroscopy: hyster-, not hister-
• oophorectomy: double o at the start
• dyspareunia, pruritus, candidiasis

If you miss a spelling during the audio, write it the way it sounds and fix it when you check your answers. On paper you get two minutes at the end of the test; on computer there is only a short pause after each question, so fix it straight away. Our Listening Part A guide covers the timing in detail.

Speaking: say the middle column

In the role-play you are talking to a patient or a relative, and the Speaking criteria reward language the patient can follow: avoiding jargon is assessed under Appropriateness of language, and using lay language under Information giving. Compare:

“You have menorrhagia secondary to uterine fibroids.”
→ Better: “Your periods are heavy because of fibroids. These are growths in the wall of the womb, and they are not cancer.”

Gynaecology role-plays also involve personal questions. Signal them before you ask:

• “I need to ask a few personal questions about your periods and your sex life. Is that all right?”
• “Is there any chance you could be pregnant?”
• “Would you like a chaperone in the room during the examination?”
• “Some women find this examination uncomfortable. Tell me at any point if you want me to stop.”

Using the medical term once and explaining it straight away is fine, and often helpful: the patient will see the word on a letter later.

Writing: expand what the reader may not know

Your case notes will say LMP 6/52 ago, PV bleeding, ?ectopic. Your letter should not. Write full sentences and expand abbreviations unless they are standard for the person you are writing to:

Notes: “LMP 6/52 ago. PV bleeding 2/7. Urine hCG +ve.”
→ Letter: “Her last menstrual period was six weeks ago, and she has had vaginal bleeding for two days. A urine pregnancy test was positive.”

A gynaecologist will understand TAH and BSO. A community nurse or an occupational therapist may not, so think about who is reading. More on this in how to read case notes effectively.

Quick practice

Each line below is written the way it would appear in case notes. Say it the way you would explain it to the patient, then check.

1. Menorrhagia secondary to fibroids. For TVUS.
2. PMB x1. Refer for hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy.
3. Stress incontinence. Advised pelvic floor exercises.
4. CIN 2 on colposcopic biopsy. Booked for LLETZ.
5. ?PID. HVS and endocervical swabs taken.

Show suggested answers

1. “Your heavy periods are probably caused by fibroids, which are non-cancerous growths in the wall of the womb. I’d like to arrange an internal scan to look at them.”
2. “You’ve had some bleeding after the menopause. It is usually nothing serious, but we always check. A specialist will look inside the womb with a thin camera and take a small sample of the lining.”
3. “You are leaking urine when you cough or exercise because the muscles that support your bladder have become weaker. There are exercises that strengthen them, and I’ll show you how to do them.”
4. “The sample we took found some abnormal cells on the neck of the womb. This is not cancer. We remove the cells with a small heated wire so that they cannot cause problems later.”
5. “You may have an infection of the womb and tubes. I’ve taken swabs from the vagina and the neck of the womb to check for infection.”

Frequently asked questions

Do I need specialist gynaecology vocabulary to pass OET?

You do not need specialist depth. You need the common terms on this page well enough to recognise them when you hear them, spell them, and explain them simply. OET tests communication in a healthcare setting, and that is the skill the three columns train.

Should I use British or American spelling?

Either. OET accepts both. Choose one and keep to it, especially in Writing, where a letter that mixes gynaecology and estrogen looks careless.

Can I use medical terms with the patient in Speaking?

Yes, if you explain them. “This is called endometriosis. It means…” is good practice. A sentence of unexplained terms is what loses marks.

Is this vocabulary only for doctors and nurses?

No. Listening and Reading are the same for all twelve professions, so a pharmacist or a physiotherapist can meet a women’s health consultation in Part A. Writing and Speaking are specific to your profession.

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The fastest way to make these words stick is to meet them in a real task. Our free OET practice test has a sample from each sub-test with the answers explained, and the full Vol.01 set is free on the app.