Polycystic ovary syndrome has officially been renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), reflecting a more accurate understanding of the condition. The condition is a common hormonal disorder affecting over 170 million people of reproductive age worldwide, including up to 12% of U.S. women of reproductive age.
PMOS is characterized by high levels of androgens, the group of sex hormones that includes testosterone, and is often associated with insulin resistance. The condition affects metabolism, hair, skin, and mental health, and can make pregnancy difficult. Symptoms include irregular periods, excessive weight gain and hair growth, acne, and underdeveloped eggs lining the outer edges of the ovaries. The 2026 renaming, finalized on May 12, corrected a decades-long misunderstanding: doctors previously labeled these underdeveloped eggs as “cysts,” which incorrectly suggested they resembled pathological cysts requiring surgery, when in fact they are arrested follicles.
According to Dr. Marie Menke, a reproductive endocrinologist at University of Michigan Health, scientists do not yet know the root cause of PMOS, though multiple factors likely contribute. One possibility is that ovaries produce excess levels of certain sex hormones, including testosterone and anti-Müllerian hormone. Obesity and insulin resistance may play a role, though whether these are a cause or consequence remains debated. Genes also play a role: PMOS tends to run in families, and people with family members who have the condition or a family history of type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop it.
Treatment focuses on managing the patient’s primary concern. Options include birth control pills to regulate cycles and reduce androgen production, fertility medications like clomiphene or gonadotropins for those attempting pregnancy, metformin to promote ovulation, and anti-androgens such as spironolactone. Weight-management drugs, acne treatments, and hair removal therapies such as laser hair removal or electrolysis are also available. PMOS increases risk for serious conditions including type 2 diabetes (affecting more than half of people with PMOS by age 40), metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, cholesterol abnormalities, sleep apnea, and anxiety or depression.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.livescience.com/health/reproductive-health/what-is-pmos-formerly-pcos-what-to-know-about-the-hormonal-syndrome