Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is now PMOS. (Image credit: PonyWang via Getty Images) Share this article 0 Join the conversation Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Last week, PCOS got a major rebrand.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) will now be known as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). The main critique of the old name was that it inaccurately described the condition, which affects about 1 in 8 women worldwide. It implied that ovaries covered in many pathological cysts are a central feature of the syndrome, and that is not the case.
Studies have found that people with PMOS aren't more likely to have pathological ovarian cysts than people without the disorder. Instead, they often have underdeveloped eggs, called "arrested follicles," that accumulate in the ovaries due to the hormonal disruptions associated with the condition. The new name, experts say, better reflects the nature of the syndrome by focusing on these hormonal disruptions that then impact metabolic processes across the body — driving insulin resistance and weight gain, for instance — in addition to affecting the reproductive system, skin, and mental health.
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What do you think of the new name? Tell us in the poll below, and let us know your thoughts in the comments. If you personally have PMOS, we'd love to hear your take, in particular!
(Fun fact: PMOS has actually undergone several previous name changes. Its original name was Stein-Leventhal syndrome, after the doctors who first described its features.)
DisclaimerThis article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.
Nicoletta LaneseChannel Editor, HealthNicoletta Lanese is the health channel editor at Live Science and was previously a news editor and staff writer at the site. She is a recipient of the 2026 AHCJ International Health Study Fellowship, with a project focused on antibiotic stewardship practices in Japan and the U.S. They hold a graduate certificate in science communication from UC Santa Cruz and degrees in neuroscience and dance from the University of Florida. Beyond Live Science, Lanese's work has appeared in The Scientist, Science News, the Mercury News, Mongabay and Stanford Medicine Magazine, among other outlets. Based in NYC, she also remains involved in dance and performs in local choreographers' work.
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