In a landmark global consensus, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) has been renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), in an attempt to improve care and diagnosis. The announcement was made on Tuesday, May 12, at the European Congress of Endocrinology held in Prague.
The condition, which affects over 170 million women worldwide, is a hormonal disorder leading to irregular menstrual cycles, abnormal ovulation, infertility, weight and mood fluctuations, excessive facial hair, and body acne, among other problems.
“PCOS encompasses diverse endocrine, metabolic, reproductive, psychological, and dermatological features. The current name reflects only one organ and fails to capture the disorder's multisystem nature,” says the research, published in The Lancet.
Professor Helena Teede, Director of Monash University’s Monash Centre for Health Research & Implementation and an endocrinologist at Monash Health, led the renaming process after decades of research and patient evaluation.
The main contention behind renaming PCOS to PMOS is that, in most cases, diagnosis and treatment are focused on ovarian cysts, while several women who develop the disorder do not necessarily develop cysts. This, they say, obscures diverse endocrine and metabolic features of the condition, leading to delayed diagnosis and inadequate care while curtailing research and policy framing.
“The reproductive focus of the name can reinforce stigma, particularly in sociocultural contexts where fertility carries high value. Many individuals report distress associated with the name itself,” The Lancet report further said.
The name change process was headed by Professor Helena, along with the International Androgen Excess and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Society, an international co-lead from Oulu University and Oulu University Hospital, Finland, AE-PCOS Society Executive Director Anuja Dokras from the United States and Chair of Verity (PCOS UK) Rachel Morman, with 56 patient and professional organisations, including the Endocrine Society.
The renaming is believed to bring clarity to diagnosis and ensure equitable healthcare by investigating symptoms other than ovarian cysts in patients who present with the condition.