For over a decade, a global coalition of researchers, clinicians, and women living with the condition worked toward a single goal: correcting a medical misnomer that had shaped how millions understood their own bodies. On May 12, their effort reached a milestone when The Lancet published the new name for what was once called polycystic ovary syndrome—now polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS.
The reason for the change is both scientific and deeply personal. The old name, PCOS, was fundamentally inaccurate: the condition does not involve an increase in abnormal ovarian cysts. Instead, the hallmark is follicles—small fluid sacs around partly developed eggs—caused by hormonal disturbances that affect far more than the ovaries alone. For decades, this misleading name meant the condition's broader metabolic and endocrine features were systematically neglected, contributing to widespread misunderstanding, underdiagnosis, and inadequate treatment.
One in eight women worldwide live with PMOS, with about one in ten Canadian women affected. Yet the World Health Organization estimates that 70 percent of those affected have never received a diagnosis. The condition carries serious health consequences: it is associated with diabetes, heart disease, depression, infertility, pregnancy complications, and a general decreased quality of life.
Prof. Helena Teede, an endocrinologist at Monash University in Melbourne who led the international name change team, described the shift as reflecting "the much more diverse and broad features of this condition." The new name captures the polyendocrine disturbances occurring in women's insulin, androgens, and neuroendocrine and ovarian hormones—and the metabolic impacts these have across their entire lives.
What makes this change particularly remarkable is how it came about. In 2025, the name change team reported survey results showing 85.6 percent of patients and 76.1 percent of health professionals agreed with the change. This represented the largest, unprecedented global engagement process ever undertaken for a health condition name change. Over 22,000 health professionals and people living with PMOS participated in surveys and workshops, alongside involvement from 56 leading academic, clinical, and patient organizations, including the Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.
For women living with PMOS, the stakes of accurate language are high. Anxiety, depression, and eating disorders are common. The risk of Type 2 diabetes is elevated and develops at younger ages than in women without the condition. Many experience bothersome symptoms like acne and excess hair growth. Beyond the physical symptoms lies another barrier: significant stigma and judgment, much of it centered on weight gain and appearance.
The name change team hopes the new terminology will help dismantle this stigma by positioning PMOS as what it truly is: a complex, cyclical metabolic disorder requiring comprehensive, whole-body care. Robyn Vettese, chair of the PMOS Patient Advisory Council in Alberta and co-author on the announcement, emphasized that with symptoms varying significantly from woman to woman, "all patients are met with the understanding they deserve and are supported for long-term health."
As awareness spreads, the conversation is shifting from narrow ovarian focus to the systemic metabolic realities affecting millions of women—finally giving the condition a name that matches its true nature.