After 14 Years, PCOS Has Officially Been Renamed

Polycystic ovary syndrome has long been one of the most misunderstood conditions in women’s health, and according to researchers, the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age. As of this week, it has a new name.

Polycystic ovary syndrome, known to millions as PCOS, has been officially renamed to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS. The name change was published in The Lancet on May 12, 2026, and presented at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Prague. It is the conclusion of a 14-year process driven by 56 leading academic, clinical and patient organisations, and shaped significantly by the women living with the condition themselves. Central to the process were the women living with the condition, making this as much a patient-led milestone as a scientific one.

The shift may look like a small change on paper. In practice, it represents something much bigger.

A Name That Never Quite Fit

For those living with the condition, the name PCOS has long been a source of confusion and, for many, a barrier to getting the right care. The term “polycystic” implies the presence of pathological cysts on the ovaries, which is not only inaccurate but has led to widespread misunderstanding among both patients and health professionals about what the condition actually is and how it should be treated.

PMOS is not primarily a condition of the ovaries. It is a complex, long-term hormonal disorder that affects multiple systems in the body. Characterised by fluctuations in hormones, specifically an excess of androgens, it can impact weight, metabolism, skin, mental health and the reproductive system. It is also associated with increased risks of type 2 diabetes, liver disease, heart disease, sleep apnea, depression and anxiety.

Despite this, the focus has historically defaulted to fertility and reproduction, often at the expense of the broader picture. “The majority of women don’t get appropriate metabolic screening,” said Dr. Melanie Cree, a pediatric endocrinologist and professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz, and one of the authors of the Lancet paper. The result, she noted, is that serious health problems can go undetected, sometimes for years.

The Scale of the Condition

PMOS affects one in eight women worldwide, more than 170 million people. And yet an estimated 70 percent of those living with it do not know they have it, according to the World Health Organization. Delayed and missed diagnoses have been one of the most consistent and damaging features of the condition, and the old name has been cited as a contributing factor.

A 14-Year Process

The effort to rename the condition did not happen quickly. The effort was led by Professor Helena Teede, Director of Monash University’s Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation and a practising endocrinologist, who has spent more than 25 years researching the condition and advocating for change. The process involved global surveys gathering responses from over 14,000 people living with the condition, alongside multidisciplinary health professionals from every world region. In total, roughly 22,000 people contributed over 11 years.

The priorities were clear from the outset: scientific accuracy, clarity, stigma reduction and cultural appropriateness. The new name was agreed upon in February 2026, with a transition roadmap now underway across clinical practice, research, education and public communication. The Endocrine Society, a global body of physicians and scientists, was among the organisations that supported the change.

What Happens Now?

The name is new. The condition is not. If you have been diagnosed with PCOS, that diagnosis remains valid and the clinical criteria have not changed. What the new name aims to shift is the conversation around it, reframing PMOS as the serious, systemic hormonal condition it is, and opening the door to better screening, broader research funding and more informed care.

Rachel Morman, Chair of Verity UK and a patient with the condition herself, put it plainly: “This shift will reframe the conversation and demand that it is taken as seriously as the long-term, complex health condition it is.”

For the millions of women who have spent years navigating a system that underestimated what they were dealing with, that reframing is long overdue.

If you have questions about PMOS or think you may be experiencing symptoms, speak with your GP or a specialist endocrinologist.