PCOS has officially been renamed PMOS in a landmark move experts say could transform diagnosis, treatment and awareness for millions of women worldwide.
For decades, women living with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) said the name failed to reflect the reality of what they were experiencing. Now, after years of international research and advocacy, the condition has officially been renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) – a shift designed to better recognise the hormonal, metabolic and long-term health impacts of the condition.
The condition affects around one in eight women globally, including more than 3.1 million women and girls in the UK, yet many patients have spent years battling delayed diagnoses, misinformation and medical dismissal. Campaigners and researchers say the previous name reduced an incredibly complex hormonal and metabolic disorder to a misleading focus on ovarian cysts – despite many patients not having cysts at all.
Now, experts believe the PMOS terminology could help reshape how the condition is understood, diagnosed and treated.
What Is PCOS?
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), now renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), is one of the most common hormonal health conditions affecting women worldwide.
The condition impacts hormones, metabolism, reproductive health and long-term wellbeing, yet symptoms can vary dramatically from person to person. Many women experience irregular periods, acne, excess facial or body hair, hair thinning, fatigue, weight fluctuations and fertility challenges. Others may also struggle with anxiety, depression and insulin resistance.
Despite affecting more than 170 million people globally, PCOS has historically been misunderstood and underdiagnosed. Many women wait years for answers, with symptoms frequently dismissed or misunderstood within healthcare systems.
Researchers say the previous name contributed to that confusion by suggesting the condition was primarily about ovarian cysts, rather than recognising its wider hormonal and metabolic effects.
What Is PMOS?
PMOS, or Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, is the new official name for the condition previously known as PCOS.
The renaming follows a 14-year international collaboration led by the International PCOS Network involving researchers, healthcare professionals and women with lived experience of the condition.
Published in The Lancet, the initiative is believed to be one of the largest global efforts ever undertaken to rename a medical condition.
Experts say the new terminology more accurately reflects the science behind the condition by recognising that it affects multiple hormonal systems and has significant metabolic impacts beyond reproductive health alone.
Why Was PCOS Renamed?
According to researchers, the term ‘Polycystic Ovary Syndrome’ was scientifically outdated and medically misleading.
Professor Helena Teede, Director of Monash University’s Monash Centre for Health Research & Implementation and an endocrinologist at Monash Health, led the name change process after spending decades researching the condition and seeing the patient impacts first hand.
“What we now know is that there is actually no increase in abnormal cysts on the ovary, and the diverse features of the condition were often unappreciated,” Professor Teede said.
“It was heart breaking to see the delayed diagnosis, limited awareness and inadequate care afforded those affected by this neglected condition.
“While international guidelines have advanced awareness and care, a name change was the next critical step towards recognition and improvement in the long term impacts of this condition.”
The name change journey took 14 years of global collaboration between experts and those with lived experience.
Professor Teede led the process alongside International Androgen Excess and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Society (AE-PCOS Society) President Professor Terhi Piltonen, AE-PCOS Society Executive Director Anuja Dokras and Chair of Verity (PCOS UK) Rachel Morman, alongside 56 patient and professional organisations worldwide.
In a related paper by the same experts, researchers found there is no increase in abnormal ovarian cysts in the condition, further demonstrating the need to change the name.
The patient-focused effort resulted in more than 22,000 survey responses and involved multiple international workshops with patients and multidisciplinary health professionals.
Professor Teede said the initiative was the largest global effort ever undertaken to rename a medical condition.
“The agreed principles of the new name included patient benefit, scientific accuracy, ease of communication, avoidance of stigma, cultural appropriateness and accompanying implementation,” she said.
“This change was driven with and for those affected by the condition and we are proud to have arrived at a new name that finally accurately reflects the complexity of the condition.
“Make no mistake, this is a landmark moment that will lead to desperately-needed worldwide advancements in clinical practice and research.”
What Does PMOS Stand For?
The new name was designed to better represent the complexity of the condition.
‘Polyendocrine’ reflects the involvement of multiple hormonal systems throughout the body, while ‘metabolic’ acknowledges the condition’s links to insulin resistance, weight regulation and long-term health risks. The word ‘ovarian’ remains to recognise reproductive impacts, while ‘syndrome’ reflects the broad range of symptoms women may experience.
Researchers say the terminology was carefully developed to balance scientific accuracy, patient understanding and cultural sensitivity.
PMOS Symptoms Women Should Know
While symptoms vary from person to person, PMOS can affect far more than fertility alone.
Many women experience irregular or missed periods, acne, weight changes, fatigue and excess hair growth, while others may develop insulin resistance, sleep issues, anxiety, depression or cardiovascular complications later in life.
Because symptoms often develop gradually and can present differently in different women, experts say many patients remain undiagnosed for years.
Campaigners hope the PMOS name change will help healthcare professionals better recognise the condition earlier and understand its full-body impact.
Why the PCOS to PMOS Name Change Matters
For many women, the change feels deeply validating, finally recognising what they have long known about their own bodies – that the condition extends far beyond ovarian cysts and can affect everything from hormones and metabolism to mental health, weight and long-term wellbeing.
The inclusion of the words ‘polyendocrine’ and ‘metabolic’ acknowledges what patients and campaigners have long argued – that the condition affects far more than reproductive health alone.
Rachel Morman, Chair of Verity (PCOS UK), who was involved in the international renaming process, said the previous name misrepresented the true nature of the condition.
“It is fantastic that the new name now leads with hormones and recognises the metabolic dimension of the condition,” she said.
“This shift will reframe the conversation and demand that it is taken as seriously as the long-term, complex health condition it is.
“Despite decades of tireless advocacy to improve awareness, we recognised that the risk of change would be worth the reward.”
Across social media, many women have described the new terminology as empowering, saying it finally recognises years of symptoms that extended far beyond ovarian health.
Could the PMOS Name Change Improve Diagnosis?
Researchers believe the new terminology could have significant long-term impacts on women’s healthcare.
Despite affecting millions worldwide, PMOS remains one of the most misunderstood hormonal conditions affecting women. Many patients report waiting years for a diagnosis, while others say symptoms were dismissed as lifestyle-related or ‘normal’.
Experts hope the clearer terminology will improve awareness among healthcare professionals, encourage earlier diagnosis and lead to more comprehensive treatment approaches that consider both reproductive and metabolic health.
Professor Terhi Piltonen said cultural sensitivity was also a major consideration throughout the renaming process.
“It was essential that the new name was scientifically correct but also considered across diverse cultural contexts to avoid certain reproductive terms that could heighten stigma and be harmful for women in some countries,” Professor Piltonen said.
“This made a culturally and internationally informed consultation critical to getting it right.”
The transition to PMOS will take place over the next three years, supported by a major international education and awareness campaign reaching health professionals, governments and researchers worldwide.
The updated terminology is expected to be fully implemented in the 2028 International PMOS Guideline update.
Why Experts Say the PMOS Name Change Could Transform Women’s Healthcare
While the condition itself has not changed, campaigners say the move from PCOS to PMOS represents something much bigger than medical terminology.
For decades, women with PMOS symptoms have described struggling to be believed, often navigating years of frustration before receiving proper support or treatment.
The renaming signals a broader shift in how women’s health conditions are researched, understood and discussed – one that many hope will finally lead to greater recognition of the long-term impact hormonal and metabolic disorders can have on women’s lives.
And for millions of women who felt the old name never reflected their reality, PMOS may finally offer something many have been asking for all along – validation and recognition.
