Why the name of an illness that affects 170 million women matters (Bye PCOS!)
For decades, millions of women have been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition named after polycystic ovaries. But it turns out that polycystic ovaries aren't actually a defining feature of the condition at all. In May 2026, after 14 years of global collaboration, a new name was officially proposed in The Lancet: Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) [1]. More than 56 patient and professional organizations were involved, with over 22,000 survey responses from patients and clinicians worldwide. It reflects a fundamentally different understanding of what this condition is and has real implications for how it is diagnosed, treated, and experienced.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is now Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome.
What is PMOS (or what was PCOS)?
PMOS affects 1 in 8 women worldwide, making it one of the most common hormonal conditions [2]. Yet it is estimated that up to 70% of women with PMOS worldwide are undiagnosed and do not know they have PMOS. The illness is characterized by fluctuations in hormones, particularly androgens and insulin, that have a wide range of effects on the body: metabolism, weight, skin, mood, fertility, and the reproductive system [3]. Symptoms vary between people, however, the core symptoms include irregular periods, problems with ovulation and fertility, signs of higher androgen hormones (such as testosterone - excess hair or acne), and weight and metabolism difficulties [4]. The hormonal imbalances characteristic of PMOS, the toll of managing a chronic condition, societal pressures and the potential fertility concerns can amplify the risk of depression and anxiety disorders [5].
The old name pointed to cysts on the ovaries as the defining feature. Research has confirmed that there is no actual increase in abnormal ovarian cysts in women with PMOS [6].
Why a name carries more weight than we think
The name of a medical condition does far more than describe biology. It shapes how patients understand themselves, how doctors frame treatment, and how seriously a condition is taken by the medical system and by the person living with it.
For example, patients without clearly visible cysts on a scan may be told their symptoms don't fit, delaying diagnosis. Doctors may focus on reproductive outcomes while missing the metabolic, dermatological and mental health dimensions. And patients may internalize a narrow, ovary-focused understanding of what is wrong with them, when the reality is far more systemic. Being offered care that addresses only part of what you are experiencing, or feeling like something is being missed, is a direct consequence of a name that misrepresents the condition.
A broader pattern in women's health
PMOS is a specific example of something more general: women's health conditions are often reduced to a purely gynecological issue. Endometriosis is another clear example: it’s a condition that can affect the whole body, including the bladder, bowel, immune system, and nervous system, yet is still treated as though it only belongs to a gynecologist. The result is incomplete, fragmented care, long diagnostic delays, and patients who spend years not knowing that their symptoms are due to endometriosis.
PMOS is not a condition that belongs to one specialist either. Depending on how it presents, it may require an endocrinologist, dietitian, psychologist, dermatologist, or cardiologist alongside a gynecologist. The new name, by centering the hormonal and metabolic reality of the condition, makes this harder to ignore.
A win for women’s health
This is the type of progress that feels exciting - it was patient-led, internationally collaborative, and grounded in research. Hopefully this can model how change within other women’s health conditions is approached. Although this, like so much more change within women’s health, should have already occurred decades ago, this is definitely a win!
References:
Helena J. Teede et al., “Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, the New Name for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Multistep Global Consensus Process,” The Lancet 0, no. 0 (2026), https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00717-8.
“Polycystic Ovary Syndrome,” World Health Organisation (WHO), 2026, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/polycystic-ovary-syndrome.
Alexia S. Peña et al., “International Evidence-Based Recommendations for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Adolescents,” BMC Medicine 23, no. 1 (2025): 151, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-03901-w.
“Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS),” American College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, 2025, https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos.
Deepika Dewani et al., “The Invisible Struggle: The Psychosocial Aspects of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome,” Cureus 15, no. 12 (n.d.): e51321, https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.51321.
Terhi T. Piltonen et al., “Ovarian Cysts in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome,” JAMA Internal Medicine, ahead of print, May 11, 2026, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2026.1370;
Robert John Norman et al., “‘Tis but Thy Name That Is My Enemy’—the Problem with the Naming of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome,” Fertility and Sterility 120, no. 2 (2023): 249–50, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.03.028;
Helena J. Teede et al., “Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Perspectives from Patients and Health Professionals on Clinical Features, Current Name, and Renaming: A Longitudinal International Online Survey,” EClinicalMedicine 84 (June 2025): 103287, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103287.
