After more than a decade of advocacy, the condition previously known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been officially renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). The change, published in The Lancet on May 12, aims to reflect the broader hormonal and metabolic disturbances associated with the disorder.
PMOS affects an estimated one in eight women worldwide, yet the World Health Organization estimates that 70% of those affected have never been diagnosed. The old name was inaccurate because the condition does not involve an increase in abnormal ovarian cysts; instead, it is characterised by follicles around partly developed eggs due to hormonal disruption.
Prof. Helena Teede, an endocrinologist at Monash University who led the international name change team, said: “PMOS is building on what we knew before but really is reflective of the much more diverse and broad features of this condition.” The new name highlights disturbances in insulin, androgens, and neuroendocrine and ovarian hormones, along with metabolic impacts.
The name change team hopes the new term will reduce stigma, particularly around weight gain, and improve understanding of associated conditions such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. A survey found 85.6% of patients and 76.1% of health professionals supported the change.
Robyn Vettese, chair of the PMOS Patient Advisory Council in Alberta, described the transition as “the largest, unprecedented global engagement process ever undertaken for a health condition name change.” She sees it as a call to action for care providers to adopt a whole-body health approach.
