PCOS Is Now PMOS: What the New Name Means

What does PMOS stand for?

PMOS stands for polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome. It is the new name, agreed in 2026, for the condition previously called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which the consensus paper in The Lancet says affects one in eight women. Each word was chosen to describe what the condition involves, according to the Lancet paper and Monash University's terminology summary:

Depression, anxiety, acne and excess hair matter, but were left out of the name because the consensus judged them largely secondary to the hormonal changes.

Is PMOS different from PCOS?

No. PMOS and PCOS are the same condition under two names. Monash University, which led the renaming, says the clinical features, diagnostic criteria and management approach "remain unchanged", and that what changes is the name, "and with it, the framing, awareness and understanding of what this condition is". A PCOS diagnosis is a PMOS diagnosis.

The NHS page, now titled PMOS, lists the same symptoms as before: irregular periods or long gaps between them, excess hair growth or hair loss, weight gain or difficulty losing weight, difficulty getting pregnant, depression or anxiety, oily skin and acne, tiredness, and dark patches of skin. What is PCOS covers the symptoms, diagnosis and long-term health in full, and irregular periods explains the cycle lengths that count.

Why was PCOS renamed?

Because the old name was inaccurate, and the consensus concluded it was causing harm. The Lancet paper's case for change, in summary:

• There are no cysts. "Polycystic ovary" implies pathological cysts, "which are not a feature of the condition". Monash explains that the ultrasound appearance reflects arrested follicle development, not cysts.
• It named one organ. The condition has endocrine, metabolic, reproductive, psychological and skin features that the old name did not capture.
• It delayed diagnosis. The paper reports that up to 70% of people with the condition remain undiagnosed, and links confusion over the name to delayed diagnosis and fragmented care.
• It added stigma. A name focused on reproduction can carry stigma where fertility is tied to a woman's value, and many people reported distress at the name itself.

The call was not new. Monash notes the condition was named in the 1930s from a surgical finding, and a 2012 US National Institutes of Health workshop recommended renaming it. Earlier attempts stalled for lack of a coordinated global process and an agreed alternative.

Who decided the new name?

The name came from a global consensus process led by Professor Helena Teede of the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation in Melbourne, with the Androgen Excess and PCOS Society and the UK patient charity Verity. Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council funded it, 56 academic, clinical and patient organisations took part, including the Endocrine Society, and the results were published in The Lancet on 12 May 2026.

• Surveys: two global surveys, launched in April 2025 and January 2026, drew 14,360 responses from 10,411 people with PCOS and 3,949 health professionals, building on 7,708 earlier responses. Together that is roughly the "more than 22,000" figure used in press releases.
• Workshops: online workshops in November 2025 and February 2026 with around 90 representatives from all world regions.
• Choices: 86% of people with PCOS and 71% of health professionals surveyed voted for a new, symptom-based name, ahead of a generic name or keeping the PCOS acronym. "Endocrine metabolic ovulatory syndrome" was dropped partly because its acronym, EMOS, echoed the emo subculture, and "reproductive" was avoided as potentially stigmatising.
• Agreement: the final name was agreed in February 2026. Every workshop participant supported it except two who opposed any change of name.

The paper is open about its limits: participation was lower from low- and middle-income countries and from Asia, Africa and South America, and voluntary sampling could introduce selection bias, although preferences did not differ much by region. ESHRE, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, has welcomed the new name.

When does the new name take effect?

It is in use now, with a managed three-year transition during which PCOS and PMOS co-exist, according to Monash and ESHRE. The key dates:

The implementation plan also covers electronic health records (including SNOMED CT), medical school teaching and textbooks, and formal engagement with the World Health Organization to bring the new name into the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).

What does the name change mean for you?

• Your diagnosis and treatment stay the same. The criteria and management are unchanged, and so are the international guideline's recommendations.
• You will see both names. In the UK, the NHS website now uses PMOS and notes that it "used to be called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)". In the US, the patient page of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), last reviewed in April 2025, still says PCOS. Expect older letters and records to keep the old name.
• The aim is better care. The Lancet authors' stated goals are greater awareness, better diagnosis, better care and patient satisfaction, and better outcomes across the condition's broad features. These are aims, not yet measured results.
• Fertility advice is unchanged. See trying to conceive with PCOS and ovulation induction.

When to see a GP

The NHS advises seeing a GP if you think you might have PMOS, or if symptoms are affecting your everyday life, work or relationships. If you are trying for a baby, when to see a doctor about fertility explains the timelines.

Frequently asked questions

What is PMOS in medical terms?

PMOS is the medical abbreviation for polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic ovary syndrome. It is an endocrine condition diagnosed when two of three features are present, after other causes are excluded: irregular or absent ovulation, high androgens, and polycystic ovarian morphology on ultrasound or a raised AMH level.

Are the PMOS diagnostic criteria different?

No. Monash University says the diagnostic criteria are unchanged. As the Lancet paper sets out, adults aged 20 and over need two of three features: irregular or absent ovulation, signs or blood results showing high androgens, and polycystic ovaries on ultrasound or a raised AMH. Adolescents aged 10 to 19 need the first two.

What is the ICD-10 code for PMOS?

There is no separate code yet. The World Health Organization's ICD-10 lists the condition as E28.2, "Polycystic ovarian syndrome". The Lancet consensus paper says formal engagement with the World Health Organization to bring PMOS into the International Classification of Diseases is under way.

Should I say PCOS or PMOS?

Either is correct during the three-year transition, when both names co-exist. PMOS is the official name, and the international guideline will use it alone from its 2028 update. If a clinician or form uses PCOS, it means the same condition, with the same diagnosis and treatment.