From PCOS to PMOS: What the new name means for women’s health and what you should know

For decades, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) has been one of the most common and often misunderstood conditions in women’s health. 

Despite affecting over 170 million women worldwide, many still know it only as something linked to reproduction or “cysts” on the ovaries. But the reality is that the condition has much broader implications, affecting hormones, metabolism, and overall health in ways that can go unnoticed or be misdiagnosed. Namely, it could impact fertility and increase the risk of diabetes.

Now, the gap between name and reality is finally being addressed, with experts saying a new name for the condition could help improve understanding and lead to better care for patients.

Last week, experts announced in The Lancet, one of the world’s leading medical journals, that PCOS would be renamed to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS for short. 

The move sparked widespread online discussion, with PMOS patients and clinicians alike taking to social media to reflect on how the name change could reshape the way one of the most common women’s conditions is talked about.

Here’s why the name change matters and what you should know.

A name that finally reflects the complexity of the condition

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), PMOS is a common hormonal disorder that affects 10 to 13 per cent of reproductive-aged women. In Singapore, the condition impacts roughly one in six women.  Even so, the WHO estimates that globally, about 70 per cent of women with the condition don’t know they have it.

PMOS occurs when hormone signalling is disrupted, leading to higher androgen, including testosterone, levels and other hormonal imbalances. 

Some patients with PMOS may experience irregular or infrequent periods, sometimes accompanied by painful or heavy bleeding, and disrupted or absent ovulation, which can lead to fertility complications.

Others may also notice weight fluctuations, excess facial or body hair, female-pattern hair thinning, oily skin, and acne.

Previously, PMOS was named PCOS for the appearance of multiple “cysts” that doctors observed in the ovaries of diagnosed patients. They presented in ultrasound scans as dark, pearl-like structures around the ovary — hence the “polycystic ovarian” portion of PCOS.

However, this has now been proven to be a misconception. Rather than fluid-filled cysts that carry a risk of bursting, these structures are actually immature ovarian follicles that could not develop fully due to disrupted ovulation. As such, eggs are not regularly released, leading to irregular or absent periods.

Because of this, PCOS is considered a misnomer since patients’ ovaries are not actually riddled with “cysts”. Instead, there’s usually an overabundance of undeveloped eggs that could not be released.

More importantly, while PCOS may suggest changes in the ovaries through its name, the condition can also present without any ovarian “cysts” at all.  

The updated term, PMOS, hence shifts focus away from a condition defined solely by “cysts” and ovaries, and better reflects it as a systemic hormonal disorder.

Why the more nuanced PMOS label matters

The woman leading the name change process is Dr Helena Teede, an endocrinologist and professor of Women’s Health at Monash University in Australia. She is the lead author of the paper documenting the name change in The Lancet.

She told CNN that over the course of her more than 25-year career, she’s had to dispel misconceptions that PMOS is just about cysts on the ovaries, which she believes has probably led to delayed diagnoses or even misdiagnoses.

She hopes that the new name provides a clearer understanding of the disorder and said the “polyendocrine” part of the new name more aptly describes the condition as a disturbance in the endocrine, or chemical messenger, system of the whole body.

Although the road to changing PMOS’ name took more than a decade, involving a global coalition of more than 50 organisations and over 22,000 patients and clinicians in the process, the name change shows that progress is still taking place in women’s health and advocacy works. This might encourage institutions to allocate more resources to women’s health research so that more patients can receive better healthcare. 

The new name could also change the way doctors think about and treat PMOS and how patients understand it, giving importance to the wide range of impacts the condition has on those who have it.

Marie E., 25, who was diagnosed with PCOS in 2024, after experiencing irregular periods, said the new name would be a “positive change for the people who experience the more pronounced symptoms of the condition such as hirsutism or fatigue”.

Although she was diagnosed with what doctors described as “mild PCOS” because she had fewer ovarian follicles and continued to get periods, Marie still struggled with symptoms like acne, spotting, and excess hair growth.

”If people fixate on the naming, then it impacts how seriously the condition gets taken,” she said. 

“Had the change happened when I was searching for answers, maybe I would’ve been assessed more holistically and not just based on how prominent the cysts in my ovaries were.”

She added that the name change goes beyond mere terminology and could help patients be better informed of the associated health risks and seek preventative care earlier.

“When I first got diagnosed, I didn’t find the term ‘mild PCOS’ dismissive as I was relieved my fertility was not affected,” she recalled.

“But looking back, maybe I was too fixated on the condition being localised to reproduction such that I may have overlooked the precautionary measures I should implement to prevent the other associated health risks that come with PMOS, like insulin resistance.”

What to look out for if you suspect you have PMOS

As with many hormonal conditions, PMOS can look different from person to person. There is rarely one defining sign and doctors typically look for a combination of symptoms.

If you suspect you have PMOS, here’s a list of common symptoms you can look out for before heading to the doctor’s:

• Irregular or absent periods
• Excess facial or body hair (sign of higher androgen levels)
• Weight changes or difficulty managing weight 
• Persistent acne that does not respond to typical treatments
• Female-pattern hair thinning or hair loss
• Polycystic-appearing ovaries on ultrasound (multiple small, immature follicles)
• Difficulty ovulating, which may affect fertility

Do note that not everyone will have all symptoms and it might be helpful to speak to a health professional if you’re concerned about PMOS.

As with every health concern, prevention and early detection can make a huge difference. Listening to your body and taking steps to get the help you need will go a long way.