An international consensus group has renamed PCOS as PMOS to better reflect the condition’s endocrine and metabolic features.
A global consortium of clinicians, researchers, and patient advocacy organizations has recommended renaming polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), following an international consensus process designed to better reflect the condition’s multisystem features and reduce confusion surrounding diagnosis and care.
The recommendation was published May 12, 2026, in The Lancet and was developed through surveys and workshops that included more than 14,000 participants worldwide, including patients and multidisciplinary health professionals.
Investigators noted that the term PCOS has long been criticized for inaccurately emphasizing ovarian cysts while overlooking the endocrine and metabolic abnormalities associated with the disorder. According to the report, the condition affects approximately 1 in 8 women globally and is linked to reproductive, metabolic, dermatologic, and psychological complications.
“Polycystic ovary syndrome affects more than 170 million women globally, yet its current name is inaccurate and misleading, obscuring the condition’s multisystem endocrine and metabolic features, reinforcing stigma, delaying diagnosis, and hindering effective clinical care, research, and policy alignment,” the authors wrote.
The updated terminology may have implications for pediatricians and adolescent medicine specialists, as adolescents require different diagnostic criteria than adults.2 The study authors noted that adolescents aged 10 to 19 years require both oligo-anovulation and clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism for diagnosis, whereas adults may meet criteria through combinations that include ovarian imaging findings.1
The investigators emphasized that PMOS reflects the broader endocrine and metabolic nature of the condition. Reported manifestations include obesity, dysglycemia, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, menstrual irregularities, infertility, depression, anxiety, acne, alopecia, and hirsutism.
The consensus process involved engagement from 56 organizations and included iterative Delphi surveys, workshops, and implementation analyses. Survey participants prioritized scientific accuracy, stigma avoidance, clarity, and cultural appropriateness when evaluating naming options.
“Through an unprecedented, rigorous global consensus process engaging patients, multidisciplinary health professionals, and organisations across world regions, a new name—polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome—was agreed, omitting the misleading reference to ovarian cysts and accurately reflecting the diverse features of the condition,” the authors stated.
The paper also highlighted concerns that the term “polycystic ovary” contributes to misunderstandings among patients and clinicians because the disorder does not involve pathologic ovarian cysts. Investigators wrote that the terminology may contribute to delayed diagnosis and dissatisfaction with care.
For pediatricians, the renaming effort may support broader recognition of cardiometabolic risks during adolescence. The authors cited evidence linking the condition to insulin resistance, obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, and cardiovascular disease risk.
Implementation of the new terminology will occur over a 3-year transition period and includes integration into international guidelines, educational materials, electronic health records, and disease classification systems. The authors noted that the 2028 update to the International Guideline for PCOS will incorporate the new terminology.
“This change has global implications for health-care systems, policy, and research, and for advancing understanding and treatment of the condition,” the investigators wrote. “Overall goals include greater awareness, enhanced diagnosis, improved care quality and patient satisfaction, and optimised outcomes across the broad features of the condition.”
