Hyderabad: Millions of women in India suffer from a condition known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which is now renamed as Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS). According to the Endocrine Society, the condition affects 1 in 8 women, or more than 170 million women worldwide.
The name change journey, published in The Lancet, took 14 years of global collaboration between experts and those with lived experience. More than 50 patient and professional organisations participated in this process.
What science has missed so far about PCOS
For a long time, the name PCOS reduced a complex, long-term hormonal or endocrine disorder to a misunderstanding about ‘cysts’ and a focus on ovaries. This contributed to missed diagnoses and inadequate treatment, said the Endocrine Society. Many women are affected by the condition even without ever having ovarian cysts.
The condition is diagnosed based on symptoms such as irregular menstrual cycles, excess androgen levels, and polycystic ovaries detected through ultrasound or elevated anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels. In adolescents, diagnosis requires irregular ovulation and hyperandrogenism.
Effects of the condition are far-reaching
Researchers and medical experts said the disorder has long been viewed mainly as a gynaecological condition, but growing scientific evidence shows that it is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder.
The condition can impact multiple systems in the body, including metabolic health, reproductive health, mental health and skin health.
The long-term effects of the condition are obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease and sleep issues.
It can also lead to infertility, pregnancy complications, irregular menstrual cycles, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, acne, alopecia, and hirsutism. Experts noted that people with the condition often have a higher BMI, which can worsen its severity.
Why the name change?
According to Dr K Shilpi Reddy, Clinical Director at KIMS Cuddles Mother and Child Centre, the condition is often misunderstood as a disorder related only to ovaries, hormones, or fertility. The earlier name created confusion among patients, doctors, policymakers, and the public.
According to experts, this misunderstanding contributed to delayed diagnoses, fragmented care, and dissatisfaction among patients.
Experts also pointed out that the reproductive focus of the name reinforced stigma, especially in societies like India, where fertility is given high importance. Many patients reportedly experienced distress because of the name itself.
Experts said the term ‘Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome’ better reflects the hormonal, metabolic, and reproductive aspects of the condition while removing the misleading reference to ovarian cysts.
Process of name change
The new name was finalised through a global consensus process involving patients, healthcare professionals, researchers, and organisations from different countries.
The process included surveys, workshops, and expert consultations aimed at ensuring scientific accuracy, cultural appropriateness, and ease of global adoption. More than 50 patient and professional organisations participated in the discussions.
How will the name change help?
Dr Reddy said she has been advocating for a holistic approach to treating the condition for nearly a decade and added that the new name would help create awareness among patients by making it clear that the disorder extends beyond reproductive health.
She noted that practitioners already providing holistic treatment may not see major changes in practice, but doctors who have been treating it mainly as an ovarian issue would now need to explain the metabolic and endocrine aspects of the condition more clearly, which could improve awareness and long-term care.
Dr Reddy emphasised that the change in the name would encourage a more holistic approach to the treatment of the condition from the patient-end, as it would help people understand that PMOS is not limited to ovaries or fertility but also affects metabolism, heart health, insulin resistance, stress, sleep, lifestyle and overall long-term health.
Personalised healthcare
She added that the new terminology would also push greater awareness about the endocrine and metabolic aspects of the disorder, encouraging more personalised treatment based on a patient’s diet, activity levels, work patterns, and lifestyle habits.
Implementation of the new terminology is now underway across healthcare systems, research institutions, medical education, clinical guidelines, and disease classification systems, including medical disease coding. Researchers believe that adopting the new name will improve awareness, diagnosis, treatment, research, and policy support for the condition worldwide.
