In May 2026, The Lancet published the results of an international consensus process that led to renaming the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), now referred to as Polymetabolic-Endocrine Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS).
The reasons behind the new designation
The old name, the study authors explain, is imprecise: “polycystic ovary” evokes the presence of ovarian cysts, which are not a necessary feature of the condition, and for years it has narrowed attention to the ovarian component, leaving its broader nature in the shadows.
The new acronym frames the condition through three elements. Polymetabolic-endocrine indicates that at its core lie multiple hormonal imbalances that interact with one another, not limited to the ovarian level: insulin, androgens and other endocrine axes are involved together. Metabolic acknowledges insulin resistance and the elevated risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Ovarian preserves the link to the reproductive aspect—the ovulatory disturbances and fertility challenges that remain among the syndrome’s defining features.
More than fifty scientific organizations and patient associations worldwide participated in the process, which gathered more than fourteen thousand responses from women with the syndrome and healthcare professionals.
According to the study, PMOS affects about one in eight women, making it one of the most common hormonal conditions in reproductive age, even though it often goes underdiagnosed.
As summarized by Franco Vicariotto, a gynecologist and founder of SIFIOG, the shift from PCOS to PMOS invites us to look beyond the ovary, viewing the syndrome as a multisystem condition in which metabolism, inflammation, the microbiota, and nutritional status are part of the same overall picture.
Source
Teede H, Khomami M, Morman R, et al. Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, the New Name for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Multistep Global Consensus Process The Lancet, 2026; 407: 2329-2339
