The different educational bodies have officially urged to rename PCOS as PMOS

The different educational bodies have officially urged to rename PCOS as PMOS

The different educational bodies have officially urged to rename Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) as Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS).

This updated consensus was published in The Lancet after a continous efforts of 14 years by medical experts globally, patient advocates and different scientific groups worldwide such as endocrine society, Eshre, Asrm, etc…

What was the need to change the name?

PCOS till date was solely considered the disease of gynecology affecting manly periods and fertility. But this is not affecting only the reproductive health, it is interconnected with other systems such as insulin, androgens and neuroendocrine system.

PCOS name was confusing and inaccurates as it was suggestive of small ovarian cysts but in actual they are totally non pathological. It was framed as pure the reproductive issue meaning the younger patients/teenagers were dismissed early in life and told them to come back for treatment when they want to conceive, completely ignoring the critical metabolic care required at young age.

Many women suffer from classic metabolic and endocrine hormones symptoms even without showing on the ovaries which impact the long term health of women.

Actual gravity of this disease was limited to only gynecological symptoms improvement while ignoring the other features of this syndrome.

Symptoms of PMOS:

• Gynecological: irregular cycles, ovulation dysfunction, luteal phase defect
• Androgenic symptoms: acne, blackning of back of neck, thinning of hair and alopecia
• Metabolic: Insulin resistence, weight fluctuations, long term risks of type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascula diseases, endometrial cancer(<1%)
• Polyendocrine : disturbances in insulin, androgens and neuroendocrine systems
• Psychological: depressions, sleep disturbances

This syndrome describes that it remains a collection of interconnected symptoms of endocrine, metabolic, gynecological and reproductive systems.

How this helps the Patients:

If you have Pcos, your current treatment plan, medical records, and medicines remain fully effective. The condition itself has not changed, only the framework used by the medical fraternity to manage it has been updated.

• Diagnostic Criteria: The criteria for identifying the pcos remain the same, so no new blood workup is required.
• Clinical applications from PCOS to PMOS will be gradually phased into electronic medical systems, health insurance registries, and international clinical guidelines over the next 3 years, targeting full global synchronization by 2028.
• Treatment Approach: First-line management would be mainly lifestyle modifications (such as targeted dietary changes and resistance exercise).

This is supported when needed by targeted medical therapies like metformin, GLP-1 receptor agonists, or contraeptive pills.