PCOS Medical Terminology Altered to PMOS

By: WE Staff | Wednesday, 13 May 2026

The new name for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is now Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) and it will change the way this condition is viewed globally as it affects 1 in every 8 women worldwide. In total there are 170 million women who are affected by PMOS.

Over 50 Organizations (including the Endocrine Society) participated in creating the name change (PMOS) process. PMOS is characterized by fluctuations in hormones due to multiple affected endocrine systems affecting an individual resulting in weight gain, metabolic and mental health issues, skin problems and reproductive issues/cycles.

The previous name (PCOS) has been understood only to be a hormone disorder with no regard to the definition of the ‘cysts’ or the focus on the ovaries/cysts. This has resulted in misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment.

The name change was championed by Professor Helena Teede (Monash University, Director of Monash Centre for Health Research & Implementation and an endocrinologist with many years of experience researching the disorder and working alongside women who suffer from PMOS).

“What we now know is that there is actually no increase in abnormal cysts on the ovary, and the diverse features of the condition were often unappreciated,” Helena Teede, who is an Endocrine Society member.

“It was heart-breaking to see the delayed diagnosis, limited awareness and inadequate care afforded those affected by this neglected condition.

“While international guidelines have advanced awareness and care, a name change was the next critical step towards recognition and improvement in the long-term impacts of this condition.”

● PCOS was renamed PMOS to better reflect the condition’s hormonal and metabolic impact

●Experts say the old name caused misunderstanding, delayed diagnosis, and poor treatment

● The change followed 14 years of global research and patient-led consultation

Helena has been co-leading the re-naming effort with Professor Terhi Piltonen of Oulu University Finland, President of the International AE-PCOS Society, AE-PCOS Society Executive Director Anuja Dokras USA and Chair of Verity PCOS UK Dr. Rachel Morman.

In addition to changing the name of the policing from "polycystic ovarian syndrome" to "PCOS", researchers from the same group conducting the re-naming study found no rise in the rates of cyst formation or abnormal cyst formation occurred as a result of this condition.

The patient centred initiative produced in excess of 22,000 responses to the survey including several workshops with patients and multi-disciplinary health professionals in 55 countries across the globe.

There will be a worldwide comprehensive education and awareness campaign, aimed at creating awareness of the naming of the new condition, directed at those affected by the change, including: health care providers, governments and researchers worldwide during the transition period, and culminating with the 2028 international guidelines on diseases.

Helena said this was the most extensive naming change initiative for a medical condition ever.

“The agreed principles of the new name included patient benefit, scientific accuracy, ease of communication, avoidance of stigma, cultural appropriateness and accompanying implementation,” she said. “This change was driven with and for those affected by the condition and we are proud to have arrived at a new name that finally accurately reflects the complexity of the condition. Make no mistake, this is a landmark moment that will lead to desperately needed worldwide advancements in clinical practice and research.”

An important factor in the renaming process was taking into account the different needs of different cultures, Piltonen said.

“It was essential that the new name was scientifically correct but also considered across diverse cultural contexts to avoid certain reproductive terms that could heighten stigma and be harmful for women in some countries,” Piltonen said. “This made a culturally and internationally informed consultation critical to getting it right.”

Lorna Berry, an Australian woman who was among those involved in the renaming process, said that she was happy the outcome will be life changing.

“This is about accountability and progress,” she said. “It is about my daughters, their daughters, and the countless women yet to be born. We deserve clarity, understanding, and equitable healthcare from the very beginning.”

Rachel Morman, Chair of Verity (PCOS UK) was a lived experience expert on the global name change process, which stated that the previous name inaccurately represented the nature of this condition.

“It is fantastic that the new name now leads with hormones and recognizes the metabolic dimension of the condition,” she said. “This shift will reframe the conversation and demand that it is taken as seriously as the long-term, complex health condition it is. Despite decades of tireless advocacy to improve awareness, we recognized that the risk of change would be worth the reward.”