PCOS gets a new name: What to know about the most common hormonal issue affecting women
A condition that impacts millions of women is getting a new name.
Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, a reproductive hormone imbalance, will now be known as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS for short.
A global consensus calling for the name change was published Tuesday in The Lancet, based on input from more than 50 leading academic, clinical, and patient organizations, along with feedback from more than 14,000 women with the condition.
Experts say the old name was misleading, since it suggests ovarian cysts are the main issue when they are not actually a defining feature.
PMOS is a condition that affects hormones, metabolism, and ovary function, often leading to irregular periods, excess androgen levels, and increased risk of conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
The new name, which is being adopted globally including the U.S., aims to improve diagnosis, reduce stigma, and better capture the full scope of the condition, the consensus statement says.
The new name does not affect the diagnosis criteria for the condition, according to Dr. Basma Faris, an obstetrician gynecologist and assistant professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She said she hopes the name PMOS will help women get the comprehensive care they need.
"The new name really better reflects the fact that people with PMOS oftentimes have metabolic disturbances or changes in their metabolic health, like increased risk of type 2 diabetes due to insulin resistance and increased risk of obesity," Faris, who was not involved in the paper, told ABC News Tuesday. "It's also reflecting that there are multiple different hormones involved, not just the ovarian hormones, so hopefully this is going to allow the medical community really view PMOS as the multi-system chronic condition that it actually is.”
An estimated 5 million to 6 million women in the U.S. have PCOS (now PMOS), according to the Endocrine Society and the CDC. It affects up to 12% of American women of reproductive age, and as many as 70% of cases remain undiagnosed.
Research suggests this disease occurs at similar rates across racial groups, but Black and Hispanic women are more likely to have more severe metabolic complications and are less likely to be diagnosed early.
The exact cause of PMOS is unknown, but people with the condition have higher levels of androgens, such as testosterone, and insulin. The condition can cause problems with the menstrual cycle and can lead to the formation of multiple ovarian cysts and cause infertility, according to the U.S. Office on Women's Health.
There is no single way to diagnose PMOS, according to the Office on Women's Health. In addition to blood work, doctors rely on physical exams, pelvic exams, pelvic ultrasounds and a patient's medical history.
Often, other conditions are ruled out and then a doctor diagnoses PMOS if a patient meets two of these symptoms: irregular periods, signs of high levels of androgens (like acne and extra hair growth), multiple cysts on one or both ovaries or higher than normal blood levels of androgens, according to the Office on Women's Health.
There is also no cure for PMOS, so patients often rely on a combination of treatments to manage their symptoms, including medication and weight loss.
Dr. Ari Goldstein is a family medicine resident at John Hopkins School of Medicine and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.
