PCOS Is Now PMOS: Doctors Say Name Change Will Improve Diagnosis, Care

• Global experts have officially announced a change in name for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
• The condition will now be known as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).
• This name change was made to reflect the multisystem effects the condition has on the body.

In a culmination of more than 10 years of global consultation, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has officially been renamed as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).

This hormonal disorder affects an estimated 1 in 8 females worldwide.

“Polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS has long been a confusing and misleading diagnosis for women that has not properly described this underdiagnosed medical condition,” said Sherry Ross, MD, board certified OB-GYN and Women’s Health Expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA.

“Using the updated name of polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS, gives a more accurate and inclusive name to this medical condition, which affects women far beyond the ovaries,” she told Healthline.

Over the past 14 years, 56 academic, clinical, and patient organizations have been campaigning to change the name of PCOS.

The aim was to prioritize a new, accurate name rather than retaining the PCOS acronym or a generic name. The preferred terms to focus on were ovarian, metabolic, and polyendocrine in order to reflect the condition’s multisystem effects.

This led to a consensus for the new name, PMOS.

“By putting ‘endocrine’ and ‘metabolic’ in the name, PMOS tells clinicians this is a whole-body condition, not just a gynecologic diagnosis,” said Steven Vasilev, MD, gynecologic oncologist specializing in endometriosis and founder of the Lotus Endometriosis Institute in Santa Monica, CA.

The accuracy of the name was improved by omitting cysts and emphasizing metabolic, endocrine, and ovarian dysfunction. It was important to omit “cysts” because not everyone with PCOS will experience ovarian cysts.

“PCOS has long been linked to polycystic ovaries seen on ultrasound, which is misleading, since [the] ovaries of affected patients can be completely normal. Having normal ovaries does not mean you do not have PCOS, and here lies the confusion,” Ross said.

“Renaming PCOS to PMOS creates a better backdrop to really understanding this multisystem endocrine condition. PMOS better identifies the patient experience of those who are suffering from the complex symptoms associated with this condition,” Ross continued.

“PMOS provides more transparency and less confusion for those experiencing symptoms associated with this condition,” she said.

The name “polycystic ovary syndrome” has long been recognized as a limiting and inaccurate name.

This misrepresentation has led to various consequences, including:

• diagnosis delays
• fragmentation in care
• stigma
• missed opportunities regarding early intervention for metabolic and cardiovascular risks

The new name, PMOS, addresses these issues in a few different ways:

• reflects the hormonal complexity
• acknowledges the condition’s strong metabolic and cardiometabolic effects
• continues to focus on the role of ovaries in the condition without overemphasizing the reproductive aspects

The experts who were part of the renaming effort noted that this change may help to reshape how the condition is diagnosed, treated, and researched globally.

“The new name should help push research toward the metabolic and hormonal roots of the disease — insulin resistance, androgen excess, and chronic inflammation — rather than focusing on ovarian cysts,” said Vasilev.

Ross agreed and added, “Even though this new name for a long-standing condition affecting women may take some time to associate with PCOS, it is worth the time and patience to better diagnose this whole-body medical phenomenon.”