Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder affecting one in eight women worldwide, has been officially renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). The change, published in the Lancet and announced at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Prague, follows a 14-year global consultation involving international societies and patient groups across six continents.
The renaming was led by endocrinologist Professor Helena Teede, director of Melbourne's Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation. Experts argued that the term 'polycystic' in PCOS was misleading, contributing to delayed diagnoses and inadequate care. 'It directs attention to only one organ,' Teede said, noting that the condition affects multiple systems, including metabolism and cardiovascular risk.
Patient Maddy Mavrikis, diagnosed at 15, never had ovarian cysts yet was told she might not have children. 'I never understood why I was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries,' she said. The term 'polycystic' is a misnomer; what appear as cysts are actually arrested egg development. Many women with the condition, like Mavrikis, also have insulin resistance, affecting about 85% of patients.
The new name PMOS better reflects the condition's hormonal nature, affecting insulin and androgen balance, and its wide-ranging impacts on metabolic, mental, skin and reproductive health. Teede emphasised that there are no abnormal cysts in PCOS, and the old name risked confusion with true ovarian cysts requiring surgery.
First described in 1935 as an ovarian disease, research has since shown it is caused by hormone imbalances. Calls for renaming date back to 1995, with a 2012 US National Institutes of Health forum recommending the change. Teede noted patients were passionate about the name change, knowing how much they had suffered because of it.
