If you received a diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome — or spent years searching for answers about your symptoms — you may have already seen the news. On May 12, 2026, reproductive medicine officially adopted one of its most significant changes in decades: clinicians and researchers renamed PCOS.

The condition now carries the name Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, or PMOS.

Importantly, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) formally endorsed the change and joined more than 56 patient and professional organizations worldwide that participated in the global consensus process.

Why the Name Changed

For years, the old name failed to accurately describe the condition. Specifically, “polycystic ovary syndrome” suggested that pathological ovarian cysts caused the disorder. However, as Teede and colleagues explain in the landmark Lancet paper, pathological ovarian cysts do not actually define the condition. Instead, ultrasound imaging typically reveals small antral follicles — immature follicles that did not fully develop. Consequently, the inaccurate terminology created confusion among patients, clinicians, policymakers, and the public.

At the same time, many healthcare providers overlooked or minimized the condition’s widespread effects on hormones, metabolism, cardiovascular health, mental health, reproductive function, and fertility. As a result, countless patients struggled to receive timely diagnoses and comprehensive care. ASRM addressed this concern directly in its endorsement statement:

“For too long, PCOS has been reduced from a complex, long-term hormonal or endocrine disorder to a misunderstanding about ‘cysts’ and a focus on ovaries. This contributed to missed diagnoses and inadequate treatment.”

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization estimates that up to 70% of affected individuals remain undiagnosed — a staggering figure for a condition that affects 1 in 8 women and more than 170 million people worldwide.

A Rigorous 14-Year Global Process

Notably, researchers and advocacy organizations did not make this decision quickly or casually. Rather, international advocacy efforts continued for more than a decade and ultimately culminated in an unprecedented global consensus process led by Professor Helena J. Teede of Monash University, Australia. The Lancet published the findings on May 12, 2026.

The process included:

• Governance and stakeholder engagement involving 56 leading academic, clinical, and patient organizations from every world region
• Two global Delphi surveys conducted in 2025 and 2026 that generated 14,360 responses from patients and multidisciplinary health professionals
• Nominal group workshops in November 2025 and February 2026 involving approximately 90 representatives from across all world regions
• Marketing and communications analysis conducted by global branding experts
• A co-designed global implementation strategy

In total, more than 22,000 stakeholders worldwide contributed to the process, building on earlier surveys conducted in 2017 and 2023. Throughout the discussions, participants consistently prioritized scientific accuracy, ease of communication, and stigma reduction.

What PMOS Actually Means

Importantly, each term in the new name reflects a key aspect of the condition’s clinical complexity.

Polyendocrine

First, PMOS functions as a hormonal disorder involving multiple endocrine abnormalities rather than a condition isolated to the ovaries. These abnormalities include disruptions in insulin regulation, androgen production, neuroendocrine signaling, and ovarian hormones. In fact, insulin resistance affects approximately 85% of people with PMOS — including 75% of lean women — and, in turn, drives increased androgen secretion while disrupting steroidogenesis.

Metabolic

In addition, metabolic dysfunction plays a central role in PMOS from its genetic origins through its clinical manifestations. People with PMOS face increased risks for impaired glucose tolerance, gestational diabetes, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, research demonstrates significantly higher odds ratios for composite cardiovascular disease (1.68), myocardial infarction (2.50), and stroke (1.71) compared with individuals without the condition.

Ovarian

Finally, ovarian dysfunction still represents a defining feature of PMOS and contributes to ovulatory dysfunction, menstrual irregularities, and infertility. Experts intentionally selected the term “ovarian” instead of “ovulatory” because it more accurately captures the endocrine, follicular, and paracrine disturbances involved. Additionally, the term remains clinically relevant across the lifespan, including after menopause.

What This Means for Fertility Treatment

Importantly, PMOS remains one of the most common causes of ovulatory dysfunction and female infertility. The International Evidence-Based Guideline for PCOS — currently used in 195 countries — already recognizes the condition’s multisystem nature and supports individualized treatment approaches that include lifestyle intervention, ovulation induction, and metabolic management.

Now, however, the updated terminology places greater emphasis on the condition’s endocrine and metabolic drivers rather than focusing exclusively on reproduction. Consequently, clinicians may place more attention on identifying and treating insulin resistance and other upstream metabolic factors that can improve spontaneous ovulation and pregnancy outcomes. Moreover, these endocrine and metabolic disturbances also contribute to pregnancy complications.

Therefore, if you have a PMOS diagnosis and plan to pursue fertility treatment, ask your reproductive endocrinologist whether your evaluation includes insulin resistance testing, glucose tolerance screening, lipid assessment, and blood pressure monitoring.

What Stays the Same

Although the name has changed, the condition itself has not. Likewise, clinicians will continue to use the current diagnostic criteria. Adults still need at least two of the following for diagnosis:

1. Oligo-anovulation
2. Clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism
3. Polycystic ovaries on ultrasound or elevated anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH)

Similarly, your treatment plan, medical history, and relationship with your healthcare team will not change overnight.

During the transition period, healthcare organizations will use both names interchangeably for approximately three years. Therefore, you will likely see references written as “PMOS (formerly PCOS).” In the coming years, planned milestones include integration into the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and incorporation into the 2028 International Guideline update.

What INCIID Is Doing

In response to the change, INCIID will update our articles, condition guides, and professional directory to reflect the new terminology while continuing to reference PCOS during the transition period so community members can still locate the information they need. In addition, we will continue updating our educational resources as clinical guidelines evolve over the next two years.