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A Monash University-led global collaboration has renamed polycystic ovary syndrome as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome after a 14-year international effort to improve diagnostic accuracy, reduce stigma and recognise the condition’s endocrine, metabolic, reproductive and mental health effects
Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) has been made the new name for the condition polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) after a global collaboration concluded that the previous name misrepresented a women’s health condition complex in nature that contributed to delayed diagnosis, poor awareness and inadequate care.
PMOS affects at least one in eight women – more than 170 million women worldwide – and is characterised by hormonal fluctuation with effects on weight, metabolic health, mental health, skin and the reproductive system.
The change has followed a major international process led by Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, and was published in The Lancet. Researchers and patient organisations said the previous name had narrowed understanding of the condition by implying that it was primarily about ovarian function and cysts on the ovary, rather than a long-term hormonal and metabolic disorder with broader systemic effects.
For many years, the word ‘polycystic’ has caused confusion because the condition does not involve an increased number of abnormal ovarian cysts. The experts involved in the renaming process said this misconception had helped to obscure the diversity of symptoms, with some patients facing delayed recognition of their condition or receiving care that did not adequately address its metabolic, psychological and reproductive dimensions.
Professor Helena Teede, director of the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation and an endocrinologist at Monash Health, led the name change process after decades of research into the condition and clinical experience with affected patients.
“What we now know is that there is actually no increase in abnormal cysts on the ovary, and the diverse features of the condition were often unappreciated,” Professor Teede said.
“It was heart breaking to see the delayed diagnosis, limited awareness and inadequate care afforded those affected by this neglected condition. While Monash-led international guidelines have advanced awareness and care, a name change was the next critical step towards recognition and improvement in the long-term impacts of this condition,” said Teede.
The 14-year long name changing process involved international experts, health professionals and people with lived experience. Teede led the work primarily alongside:
In total, 56 patient and professional organisations contributed to the process.
The process has also included more than 22,000 survey responses and multiple international workshops involving patients and multidisciplinary health professionals. A series of associated academic papers from the same expert group has examined the need for, and implications of, the name change across adolescent health, maternal health, clinical practice, policy reform and research.
The transition to PMOS will take place across three years and will be supported by a major international education and awareness campaign aimed at people affected by the condition, health professionals, governments and researchers. The new name is due to be fully implemented in the 2028 International Guideline update.
“The agreed principles of the new name included patient benefit, scientific accuracy, ease of communication, avoidance of stigma, cultural appropriateness and accompanying implementation,” said Teede.
“This change was driven with, and for, those affected by the condition and we are proud to have arrived at a new name that finally accurately reflects the complexity of the condition. Make no mistake, this is a landmark moment that will lead to desperately needed worldwide advances in clinical practice and research,” she added.
Professor Piltonen said cultural sensitivity had been central to the renaming process because language about reproductive health can affect stigma, care-seeking and social consequences in different countries.
“It was essential that the new name was scientifically correct but also considered across diverse cultural contexts to avoid certain reproductive terms that could heighten stigma and be harmful for women in some countries,” Piltonen said.
“This made a culturally and internationally informed consultation critical to getting it right,” Piltonen added.
Lorna Berry, an Australian woman with PMOS who played a key role in the renaming process, said the change would help future generations to receive clearer information and better care.
“This is about accountability and progress. It is about my daughters, their daughters, and the countless women yet to be born. We deserve clarity, understanding and equitable healthcare from the very beginning,” said Berry.
Rachel Morman, Chair of Verity (PCOS UK), contributed as a lived experience expert to the global name change process. She said the previous name had failed to represent the true nature of the condition and had reinforced a narrow public and clinical understanding of its effects.
“It is fantastic that the new name now leads with hormones and recognises the metabolic dimension of the condition,” she said.
“This shift will reframe the conversation and demand that it is taken as seriously as the long-term, complex health condition it is. Despite decades of tireless advocacy to improve awareness, we recognised that the risk of change would be worth the reward,” Morman concluded.
Find out more about the name change and access PMOS resources on the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation website.
For further reading please visit: 10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00717-8
Lab Asia 33.2 April
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