PMOS: The New Name for PCOS

PMOS: The New Name for PCOS

By Suzanne Fenske, MD, FACOG, ABOIM, MSCP

As of May 2026, PMOS, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, is the new name for PCOS. Although the new name sounds a little like PMS, it’s about time for a name upgrade. Language shapes medical practice, policy, research, diagnosis, stigma, and more, and the new name is a step forward for women’s health care.

PMOS affects 1 in 8 women; that’s over 170 million women, 70% of whom haven’t received a diagnosis. The global shift from PCOS to PMOS may help increase awareness and understanding, with the ultimate goal in helping to fill the gap in care.

Today’s article is all about PMOS and what it could mean for women’s health. Keep reading as we explore:

• Why PCOS needed a rebrand
• What is PMOS, and what the new name means
• PMOS in women’s health moving forward
• An integrative PMOS care model
• Should we rename perimenopause too?

Why PCOS Needed a Rebrand

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an inaccurate name. It simplifies the syndrome and emphasizes ovarian cysts, but not all women with PCOS have ovarian cysts. Furthermore, the name leads to the perception that PCOS is purely a gynecological or ovarian issue.

What PCOS misses is that the condition is a full-body syndrome, affecting multiple systems and rooted in both endocrine (hormone) and metabolic dysfunctions, often involving insulin resistance. It goes well beyond the ovaries and the menstrual cycle.

Since the PCOS name doesn’t accurately represent the condition, it contributes to:

• Delayed diagnosis (or missed diagnosis altogether)
• Fragmented care (or difficulty finding care in the first place)
• Confusion among patients, healthcare providers, and the public
• Patient dissatisfaction

A woman with PCOS, now PMOS, may see:

• A dermatologist for skin issues (acne is common)
• An OBGYN or fertility clinic for fertility care (infertility is common)
• A therapist for mental health concerns (mood issues are common)
• An endocrinologist for hormone imbalances (high testosterone, insulin, and estrogen are common)
• A primary care doctor for metabolic syndrome or high cholesterol (obesity, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are common)
• And the list goes on

Each doctor may be managing one aspect of the syndrome independently, without considering the whole picture. The new name aims to help.

PMOS – The Breakdown

PCOS was renamed through a multistep global consensus process that took 14 years and was published in May 2026 in The Lancet. The renaming process involved collaboration with 56 leading health organizations, patients, and health professionals from around the world with the goal of creating an accurate name.

Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, PMOS, captures the multi-system nature of the health disorder. Let’s break it down.

• Polyendocrine – Involves multiple hormones: insulin, androgens (including testosterone), estrogen, progesterone, FSH, LH, and cortisol.
• Metabolic – 65 to 95% of women with PMOS have insulin resistance and high insulin levels, including lean women, and an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, fatty liver, and cardiovascular disease.
• Ovarian – Ovarian dysfunction is involved but isn’t the whole story. Women may have irregular or anovulatory cycles (cycles where ovulation doesn’t occur) as well as ovarian cysts and reproductive complications.
• Syndrome – Syndrome means a collection of symptoms. Each woman with PMOS may present differently with a different endocrine-metabolic-ovarian pattern.

PMOS more accurately describes the multi-system nature of the syndrome. The hope is that this accuracy translates to better research, policy, treatment consistency, and ultimately better patient care.

PMOS Going Forward

The name has changed, but the diagnostic criteria remain the same. A PMOS diagnosis still requires patients to meet 2 of the 3 criteria:

1. Irregular or anovulatory menstrual cycles
2. Elevated androgens or androgen excess symptoms (such as acne and hirsutism – male pattern hair growth)
3. Polycystic ovaries on ultrasound

However, the term PMOS may lead to future changes in the diagnostic guidelines to encompass the metabolic and multi-system nature of PMOS. We need continued and increased education, advocacy, and research to move forward with this next step.

Integrative Care for PMOS

A new name may not translate to better care, at least not right away. Given the state of the healthcare system, how it’s still set up for fractured care, and other issues involving cost, access, and provider education, women with PMOS might not find integrative, whole-body care in the conventional model. They may still be offered birth control, Metformin, and the advice to lose weight as a standard treatment without a deeper inquiry.

Integrative and functional medicine is uniquely set up to support and treat women with PMOS. It always has been. Integrative medicine looks at the root causes, how systems are interconnected, treats each woman as an individual, and addresses all the pieces under one roof. This comprehensive, personalized care is exactly what we do at TārāMD. In fact, PMOS now gives a better name to what we’ve looked at with PCOS all along, considering the various hormonal systems, metabolic, and reproductive pieces.

Is Perimenopause Next?

PMOS is long overdue and yet a step forward in women’s health. It begs the question, what else needs a new name?

We vote to rename perimenopause next! Perimenopause refers to the time around the loss of the menstrual cycle and fertility, but like PMOS, we know this transition affects all body systems, not only reproduction. All systems are connected, and when reproductive hormones change, they affect the metabolism, brain, heart, bones, skin, and just about everything else.

What name would you give perimenopause to accurately reflect the life phase?

Final Thoughts

We are thrilled about the PMOS upgrade. The name more accurately represents the complexity of the syndrome, and we hope it helps educate and empower providers and patients alike. But women’s health still has a long way to go, and we must continue to advocate for better clinical care, research, and policy to support all women worldwide.

While it’s easy to think a name doesn’t matter, it does. But it isn’t everything. At TārāMD, we are committed to providing the best, comprehensive, root-cause, and personalized care to each woman, no matter her diagnosis or lack of one. Whether it’s PMOS, perimenopause, new symptoms, or not feeling like yourself, we are here to help you figure it out and feel better so you can thrive.

References

1. https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2026-05-12/polyendocrine-metabolic-ovarian-syndrome-pcos-new-name/106668902
2. Teede, H. J., Khomami, M. B., Morman, R., Laven, J. S. E., Joham, A. E., Costello, M. F., Patil, M., Rees, D. A., Berry, L., Cree, M. G., Zhao, H., Norman, R. J., Dokras, A., Piltonen, T., & Global Name Change Consortium (2026). Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic ovary syndrome: a multistep global consensus process.Lancet (London, England), S0140-6736(26)00717-8. Advance online publication.
3. Zhao, H., Zhang, J., Cheng, X., Nie, X., & He, B. (2023). Insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome across various tissues: an updated review of pathogenesis, evaluation, and treatment.Journal of ovarian research, 16(1), 9.