PCOS Name change

Added: 2026-05-13

[00:00:00]PCOS or polycystic ovary syndrome has a new name. It will now be called PMOS or polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome. So why did we need to go on this journey and change the name? We know that it's very inaccurate. There are no abnormal cysts in this condition.

[00:00:18]There are only arrested follicles that look like cysts on scans. More importantly, it's not just a condition of the ovary. It's not limited to gynecological manifestations. It has metabolic, psychological, reproductive and dermatological impacts.

[00:00:34]>> It's not just about fertility. It is about your whole entire life. So many people who did have the condition missed out on the diagnosis, which made it really important that the name is much more accurate, removing cysts, and recognizing the broader features.

[00:00:50]My PCOS journey started when I was about 9 years old. That was the first time I started exhibiting symptoms. I was pretty much left in the dark until I was about 17 when I finally got to see an endocrinologist.

[00:01:02]>> I was diagnosed when I was 32. Um, that was after I had advocated for myself for a couple of years, but I'd known for a long time that something wasn't quite right.

[00:01:14]>> As someone living with and advocating for this condition for almost 20 years, I know firsthand how harmful the name polycystic ovary syndrome has been. It has not only impacted how the condition has been understood, it has also affected how seriously it's taken. The inaccurate name has negatively influenced awareness, education, and even the level of research, attention, and funding it has received. This condition affects 170 million women around the world. One in eight women that for so long didn't have the understanding, the knowledge, the information or indeed the care that they needed. So we engaged across the world, all world regions, all key cultures in a multi-year process and got a mandate for a change and then went on the journey through surveys of 22,000 people with the condition and those who care for them. The principles that we followed were to reduce stigma to improve accuracy and scientific alignment. The approach we took was to reflect the evolution in science and knowledge to not a new condition but in fact increased awareness. So POS is building on what we knew before but really is reflective of the much more diverse and broad features of this condition. We thought that it was essential that the new name was scientifically correct and considered across diverse cultural contexts to avoid example certain reproductive terms that could increase stigma and be harmful for women in some countries. And this made culturally and internationally informed consultation critical to get the new name right. We also needed this change to get more visibility for the syndrome. Throughout this whole process, we did this in partnership with women. We listened to their voices. We enabled their advocacy.

[00:03:04]That was critical to success because ultimately this is about meeting the needs of and improving the outcomes of those with a condition. One of the biggest challenges is getting the name out into practice. We know that we can do this within the international guidelines where we've had 2018 and 2023 guidelines. They have been downloaded well over a million times. They used across 195 countries. We're building on that momentum, working with our 56 partner societies, who are health professional societies and patient societies to make sure that that information is spread through research bodies, through education, and through clinical care. The new name, it's about the future. It's about the daughters of tomorrow. My mother's experience of PCOS was not great. Mine was marginally better. I think renaming PCOS is going to be massively helpful for the younger generation and women and girls that are now newly being diagnosed.

[00:04:04]I am incredibly proud to have played a leading role in this historic moment.

[00:04:08]But this change is bigger than any one person. It is the result of decades literally of advocacy from patients, clinicians and organizations around the world who refuse to accept a name that does harm. To everyone who has shared their story, raised your voice, challenged the status quo, and fought for better. Thank you.

[00:04:30]>> We're really excited about this initiative because it marks a new chapter in the evolution of a very neglected condition. Now, we all need to work together to make sure the new name is implemented and from that the care and the outcomes are improved.