The term polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has long been regarded as contentious by patient groups and doctors alike. Central to concerns has been the word ‘polycystic’ which has been judged to be misleading because it focused on ovarian cysts despite the fact women with the condition do not develop cysts.
This misunderstanding has been a factor in delayed diagnosis, poor quality care, and a lack of research and funding for this condition which affects 170 million women. Now, after more than a decade of global consultation, the condition formerly known as PCOS has a new name – polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) – to reflect the disorder more accurately.
Published in the Lancet, the renaming is the result of 14 years’ collaboration involving more than 22,000 patients diagnosed with PMOS and health professionals from numerous disciplines, as well as 56 patient organisations across six continents and societies worldwide (1).
Based on feedback from extensive surveys, the new official name was unveiled this month at the European Congress of Endocrinology. The engagement process which led to the renaming was the largest ever of its kind, and the experts who spearheaded the campaign say PMOS will improve awareness, the quality of care and patient satisfaction and also enhance diagnosis.
Transition to the new name will occur over three years during which time both names will co-exist. This gradual switch will be accompanied by a major international education and awareness campaign reaching health professionals, governments and researchers.
The authors of the Lancet paper say they used a ‘structured, multistep, robust process’ to generate the new term which ‘avoids misleading references to ovarian cysts and accurately reflects the condition’s diverse and multisystem features.’
The background, rationale to the name change is outlined in extensive detail in the paper along with the methodology. PCOS has long been seen as a gynaecological or ovarian disorder.
Yet mounting evidence and guidelines have demonstrated that the condition is underpinned by endocrine disturbances in insulin, androgens, and neuroendocrine and ovarian hormones.
The Lancet paper states: “The current name reflects only one organ and fails to capture the disorder’s multisystem nature”. The confusion generated by the name was highlighted in the updated international guideline for the assessment and management of PCOS on which ESHRE collaborated. Published in 2023, the guideline emphasised how the current terminology exacerbated the challenges faced by women with the condition.
Patient groups and leaders in the field of reproductive medicine have persistently advocated for change. However, previous efforts to rename PCOS have failed for reasons including a lack of inclusive global leadership and the need for alignment between patient advocacy groups, according to the Lancet paper authors.
Data from a longitudinal international survey conducted online showed that the majority (84%) of respondents endorsed a global consensus process to identify and make a new name a reality, alongside education and implementation strategies (2).
As a result of this and other evidence, a global initiative was launched with a clear mandate for a name change by Monash University’s Centre for Research Excellence in Women’s Health, the Androgen Excess and PCOS Society, and UK-based charity Verity. The International PCOS Guideline Network also played a major role in engaging patient groups and professional societies.
An international steering group was established to co-design consensus workshops and global surveys. In April 2025 and January 2026, two surveys were launched which generated 14,360 responses from 10,411 patients and 3,949 health professionals which built on 7,708 previous survey responses (2).
Overall, the preferred approach was to adopt a new, symptom-based name. This strategy was voted for by the majority (86%) of people with PCOS and health professionals (71%) and also endorsed in the workshops.
Several factors guided principles for the development of a new name for PCOS including avoidance of stigma, scientific and medical accuracy, and a name that would be readily understood by the public as well as patients, clinicians and researchers. After extensive review and some revision, all participants in the initiative supported “polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome”, with the exception of two people who also did not support a name change.
The next step now is to implement the new name globally which will require updates to textbooks and educational materials, integration into electronic health records, engagement with governments and other key measures. The final stage of this process will be to integrate PMOS into the next international PCOS guideline which is updated in 2028.
SIG Reproductive Endocrinology coordinator Christophe Blockeel was the ESHRE representative on the international steering group. Speaking to Focus on Reproduction, Dr Blockeel from Vrije Universiteit Brussel said: “This name change will have a major impact on healthcare globally and offers new hope for patients. There could be considerable positive outcomes such as increased awareness, diagnosis, screening and prevention across the broader features of PCOS.
“What is needed now to make this a reality is commitment to education and to implementation. This will ensure the new name is adopted fully and that women with the condition benefit.”
This topic will be debated at the ESHRE Annual Meeting in London: “Session 77 Renaming PCOS – governance, consensus process, outcomes and global implementation”
References:
1 Teede H, Khomami M, Morman R et al. Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic ovary syndrome: a multistep global consensus process. The Lancet 2026; 0; doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00717-8; https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2826%2900717-8/fulltext
2 Teede HJ, Moran LJ, Morman R et al. Polycystic ovary syndrome perspectives from patients and health professionals on clinical features, current name, and renaming: a longitudinal international online survey. EClinicalMedicine. 2025 May 28;84:103287. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103287. PMID: 40687737; PMCID: PMC12273733.
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