PCOS Renamed to PMOS as Experts Push for Broader Understanding of the Condition

The announcement was made in a paper published in The Lancet following a yearslong consultation process involving 56 medical organizations and surveys of thousands of patients and healthcare professionals.

Experts said the old term “polycystic ovary syndrome” was misleading because many patients diagnosed with the condition do not actually have ovarian cysts. Instead, the disorder is increasingly understood as a complex hormonal and metabolic condition affecting multiple body systems.

Helena Teede, lead author of the paper and professor of women’s health at Monash University, said the old terminology contributed to delayed diagnoses, fragmented care, stigma, and limited research funding.

“Medical education placed the condition in the wrong box,” she said, noting that students often learn about it only in gynecology courses despite its broader endocrine and metabolic effects.

PMOS affects an estimated 10 to 13 percent of reproductive-age women worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, and can also affect transgender individuals.

Beyond irregular periods and fertility-related symptoms, the condition is associated with obesity, insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea, acne, excess hair growth, and skin changes.

Doctors say the name change could significantly alter how patients are screened and treated. Under the previous framework, many patients were mainly prescribed birth control to manage symptoms, while broader health risks often went unaddressed.

Melanie Cree from the University of Colorado Anschutz said research funding has historically been limited because the condition was treated primarily as a reproductive health issue.

She expressed hope that the new name would expand eligibility for research support in areas such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolism.

Meanwhile, Basma S. Faris at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai said patients with PMOS should receive closer monitoring for insulin resistance, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular complications.

She also noted that the condition is linked to an increased risk of endometrial cancer and stressed the importance of long-term monitoring and lifestyle counseling.

The consortium plans to launch a three-year international awareness campaign to explain the transition from PCOS to PMOS and encourage broader recognition of the condition as a chronic endocrine and metabolic disorder rather than solely a reproductive issue.