One of the most common hormonal conditions affecting women is officially getting a new name – after experts admitted the old one has been misleading patients and doctors for decades.
Polycystic ovary syndrome, better known as PCOS, will now be called polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome – or PMOS – under new international guidelines unveiled at a major medical conference in Prague.
The overhaul follows years of debate involving almost 22,000 patients, doctors and researchers from around the world.
Experts behind the move say the original name focused too heavily on the ovaries and wrongly suggested women had ovarian cysts – when many never do.
Instead, specialists say the condition is a complex whole-body disorder affecting hormones, metabolism, fertility, mental health and the cardiovascular system.
‘Renaming this condition is more than semantics; it’s about finally recognizing the full reality of what patients experience,’ said Dr Melanie Cree, a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of Colorado Anschutz and one of the American experts involved in the research.
The condition affects up to 13 percent of women of reproductive age worldwide – more than 170 million people – and can trigger weight gain, acne, excess facial or body hair, irregular painful periods, infertility, anxiety and depression.
Yet despite being so common, experts estimate around 70 percent of sufferers remain undiagnosed. Researchers say the confusing name may be partly to blame.
Keke Palmer has spoken openly about her experience with PMOS, formerly known as PCOS, which she revealed in 2020 was ‘attacking’ her ‘from the inside out’
The term ‘polycystic’ has long caused misunderstanding because the condition does not actually involve ovarian cysts. Instead, women may develop multiple small follicles on the ovaries.
Experts say many patients wrongly believed they had cysts, while some doctors dismissed women who did not show cyst-like features on scans – even when they had clear hormonal and metabolic symptoms.
The new name was chosen after what researchers described as the most extensive disease-renaming exercise ever undertaken.
The effort began in 2015 at a contentious meeting in Sicily and eventually expanded into international surveys and workshops involving doctors, scientists, advocacy groups and patients.
When asked what mattered most in a replacement name, participants prioritised scientific accuracy, reducing stigma and making the condition easier to understand.
The final choice – polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome – received overwhelming backing from international experts.
Researchers say each part of the name reflects a key feature of the disease. ‘Polyendocrine’ highlights the fact that multiple hormone systems are involved.
‘Metabolic’ reflects the strong links to insulin resistance, weight gain and higher risks of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Lea Michele was diagnosed with PCOS in her late 20s after sudden symptoms like severe acne and weight changes
And ‘ovarian’ keeps the connection to reproductive health without making it the sole focus.
Doctors still do not fully understand what causes the condition, though genetics and lifestyle are both thought to play a role.
Many experts believe insulin resistance is central to the disorder. This is when the body stops responding properly to insulin – the hormone that controls blood sugar.
To compensate, the pancreas pumps out more insulin, which can stimulate the ovaries to produce excess testosterone and other male hormones.
Those hormonal changes are thought to drive many of the hallmark symptoms, including acne, irregular periods, fertility problems and unwanted hair growth.
Researchers also suspect chronic low-grade inflammation throughout the body may contribute to the condition.
The new terminology was published in The Lancet and formally presented Tuesday at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Prague.
Experts say the transition to the new name will likely take around three years as medical organisations, hospitals and advocacy groups gradually adopt the updated terminology.
Dr Cree said the change could help shift attention away from fertility alone and encourage doctors to take the wider health risks more seriously.
‘Language matters in medicine,’ she said. ‘The previous name often led to misconceptions and stigma, particularly around fertility.
‘This change helps shift the conversation toward overall health rather than a single aspect of the condition.’
