After more than a decade of global consultation, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that affects one in eight women, has been renamed. The hormonal disorder, which is estimated to affect 170 million women worldwide, will henceforth be known as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).
A historic name change published in the Lancet and announced at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Prague, after 14 years of collaboration between international companies and patient groups on six continents.
For too long, the misleading nature of the term “polycystic” in PCOS has contributed to delayed diagnosis and inadequate medical care, according to experts including endocrinologist Prof Helena Teede, director of the Monash Center for Health Research and Implementation in Melbourne.
Goodbye “polycystic ovary”
For years it was called “polycystic ovary syndrome”, but that name – say scientists, doctors and patients today – only told a small part of the problem. And often in the wrong way. Now, the historical turning point with which PCOS transitions to PMOS, Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (“polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome”), marks a change that is anything but formal, which aims to improve diagnosis, treatment and awareness.
For decades, in fact, the syndrome has been associated almost exclusively with the presence of “ovarian cysts”, when today we know that this is not the real crux of the disease. PMOS is a complex endocrine and metabolic condition, involving hormones, metabolism, body weight, mental health, skin and the reproductive system.
The old name, experts explain, contributed to confusion, delays in diagnoses and inadequate treatments. Many women felt ignored, minimized, or dismissed with superficial explanations, while living with chronic symptoms and profound impacts on their quality of life.
At the same time, another study by the same researchers confirms precisely what many patients have been reporting for years: the presence of ovarian cysts is not the central element of the syndrome. Hence the need to overcome a definition now considered misleading.
The transition to the new name will last three years and will be accompanied by an international information campaign aimed at doctors, governments and researchers. The goal is to officially include the new definition in the 2028 international guidelines.
Behind this decision there is also a cultural and social issue. According to promoters, some words related to the reproductive sphere can increase stigma and discrimination, especially in certain contexts around the world. For this reason the new name was designed to be more accurate from a scientific point of view, but also less stigmatizing.
