PCOS officially renamed to PMOS to reflect multisystem impact

Prague: In a landmark global shift, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) has been renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), a move aimed at improving diagnosis and care for a condition that affects over 170 million women worldwide.

The announcement was made on Tuesday, May 12, at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Prague.

The condition is associated with irregular menstrual cycles, abnormal ovulation, infertility, weight fluctuations, mood changes, excessive facial hair, and body acne, among other symptoms.

According to research published in The Lancet, the existing name reflects only one organ and fails to capture the disorder's multisystem nature, which encompasses endocrine, metabolic, reproductive, psychological, and dermatological features.

A key concern driving the renaming is that diagnosis and treatment have long been centred on the presence of ovarian cysts, even though several women with the condition do not develop cysts. Experts say this narrow focus has led to delayed diagnosis, inadequate care, and constraints on research and policy development.

The Lancet report also noted that the reproductive emphasis of the earlier name has reinforced stigma, particularly in sociocultural contexts where fertility is accorded high significance, with many individuals reporting distress linked to the name itself.

The renaming process was led by Professor Helena Teede, Director of the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation at Monash University and an endocrinologist at Monash Health, following decades of research and patient evaluation.

The effort was supported by the International Androgen Excess and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Society, an international co-lead from Oulu University and Oulu University Hospital in Finland, AE-PCOS Society Executive Director Anuja Dokras from the United States, and Rachel Morman, Chair of Verity (PCOS UK). A total of 56 patient and professional organisations, including the Endocrine Society, were part of the process.

The renaming is expected to bring greater clarity to diagnosis and promote equitable healthcare by broadening the clinical focus beyond ovarian cysts to include the full spectrum of symptoms associated with the condition.