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After decades of complaints that the name was misleading, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has officially been renamed. As of May 2026, the condition is called polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), following a global consensus published in The Lancet.1
If you have PCOS – or PMOS, as it is now – this is more than a cosmetic change. The old name had been blamed for delayed diagnoses, confusion and stigma, and the rename is meant to start fixing that.
Why was PCOS renamed?
The old name was inaccurate and misleading. ‘Polycystic ovarian syndrome’ implies the core problem is cysts on the ovaries – but those ‘cysts’ are not really cysts at all. They are normal egg-containing follicles, and plenty of people with the condition do not have that ovarian appearance anyway.1
More importantly, putting the ovaries front and centre hid the bigger picture. This is a whole-body hormonal and metabolic condition, and the ovary-focused name contributed to delayed diagnosis, fragmented care and stigma.1
What does ‘polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome’ mean?
The new name is built to describe what the condition actually is, in three parts:1
- Polyendocrine – several interacting hormone disturbances, including insulin, androgens and neuroendocrine hormones
- Metabolic – features like insulin resistance and weight changes, with higher risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
- Ovarian – the ovulation problems and infertility that remain defining features
In other words, the new name spells out that this is a hormonal and metabolic condition that also affects the ovaries – not an ovarian condition that happens to disturb your hormones.
How was the new name decided?
The change came out of a rigorous, multistep global consensus: 56 academic, clinical and patient organisations, iterative worldwide surveys gathering more than 14,000 responses from patients and health professionals, and formal methods like modified Delphi surveys and workshops. Agreement on the new name was reached in February 2026.1
Crucially, the people who actually live with the condition helped choose the name, rather than having it handed down to them.
What changes for people with PMOS?
Day to day, not much changes overnight. A diagnosis still stands, and the criteria used to diagnose it are not being thrown out. The rename rolls out gradually through clinical guidelines, medical education and disease classification systems such as the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), so you will likely see both names used for a while.1
The point of the change is what it unlocks over time: less confusion about what the condition is, faster diagnosis, and care that treats the whole picture – metabolic, hormonal and reproductive – instead of just the ovaries.
What this means for you
At My Vagina, we welcome anything that gets women and people with ovaries diagnosed faster and taken seriously – and this condition affects an estimated 170 million people worldwide.
If you have PMOS, the practical advice has not changed: keep working with your clinician on the hormonal and metabolic drivers, because those are what shape your symptoms, fertility and long-term health. A new name does not replace a management plan – but it should make getting the right one a little easier.
Frequently asked questions
Is PMOS the same thing as PCOS?
Yes. It is the same condition with a new, more accurate name: polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome. Nothing about your body has changed.1
Do I need to be re-diagnosed?
No. If you already have a PCOS diagnosis, it carries over. The diagnostic criteria themselves are not being scrapped.1
Why not just keep the name PCOS?
Because it was misleading. The ‘cysts’ it refers to are normal follicles, not true cysts, and the ovary-centred name obscured the hormonal and metabolic core of the condition – which delayed diagnoses and added stigma.1
Will my treatment change?
Not immediately. Treatment follows the existing evidence; what should improve over time is earlier, clearer diagnosis and more joined-up care as guidelines and education catch up to the new name.1
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References
- Teede HJ, Khomami MB, Morman R, et al. Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic ovary syndrome: a multistep global consensus process. The Lancet. 2026. Full text
