PCOS Will Now Go by PMOS as Medical Professionals Work To Give the Condition a Better Fitting Name

Anyone who has ever been to the gynecologist may be familiar with the term PCOS. That is the initials of a condition known as polycystic ovary syndrome, which can cause everything from pain to fertility issues in those who have been diagnosed with the disease.

However, after decades of campaigning, the condition may be getting a new name. That's because PCOS has been renamed to PMOS in an effort to give the disease a moniker that more correctly reflects what it is and does to the human body.

This is a big deal, especially since an estimated 170 million people around the world are impacted by the condition. And while this may not necessarily change treatment plans, it could offer these folks a bit of a clearer picture of what they are dealing with when they receive the diagnosis, and what type of symptoms they can expect to experience while they work to get treatment.

Keep reading to learn more about the change, including how endocrinologist professor Helena Teede led the charge.

Teede is credited with spearheading the name change that was published in the journal The Lancet on May 12, 2026. Teede said she worked towards giving the condition a rebrand when it became clear that the "polycystic" part of PCOS was actually leading to delayed diagnosis of the disease, as well as the wrong kind of medical care.

According to The Guardian, Teede told the European Congress of Endocrinology about the change in person, saying that PCOS failed to address the "multi-system burden."

By broadening the description, Teede and her colleagues, who also spent years fighting for the name change, now believe that this will better explain some of the potential for symptoms and additional conditions that go beyond the reproductive system, which includes an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Not only that, but it will make the condition easier to diagnose since those without cysts on the ovaries can still have the condition and experience a range of other symptoms.

According to Live Science, the work that went into getting the name changed from PCOS to PMOS was years in the making, with initial calls to change the name dating all the way back to the 1990s. In 2012, the push caught on, and the U.S. National Institutes of Health also joined in the fight, saying that the name PCOS was creating a "distraction" for both medical professionals and their patients.

That's leading to a wide swath of people not receiving treatment for this often painful condition.

In fact, Live Science says that an estimated 70 percent of those with PMOS haven't received a diagnosis, which means they are likely suffering in silence.

Fortunately, the international support behind changing the PCOS to PMOS is likely what allowed it to happen. Hopefully this means that more people with the condition will now be able to get a correct diagnosis and begin treatment to help with their symptoms, while also making lifestyle changes to prevent future complications.