Health experts are warning that the long-used name of a prevalent women’s hormone condition could be misleading both patients and clinicians.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome, more widely known as PCOS, has officially been renamed to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS.

The update was announced in a paper authored by a global group of women’s health specialists and published in The Lancet medical journal.

The change was also introduced during the European Congress of Endocrinology in Prague, where the researchers shared their rationale for abandoning the older term.

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According to the authors, the label PCOS inaccurately suggests that the condition stems solely from ovarian cysts. In reality, it involves a complex interaction of hormonal, metabolic, and ovarian factors.

This misunderstanding, the experts said, can lead to delayed diagnoses, fragmented medical care, and even stigma for women affected by the condition.

The new term PMOS was chosen after a broad collaborative effort that included 56 academic, clinical, and patient organizations around the world.

More than 14,000 individuals living with the condition, along with health professionals and advocacy groups, provided input during the renaming process.

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The researchers explained that PMOS more accurately conveys the disorder’s impact on multiple hormones, metabolism, and ovarian function rather than focusing only on cysts.

A global implementation plan is now in motion to align medical education, disease classification, and health systems with the updated terminology.

PCOS, now known as PMOS, affects one in eight women and is increasingly diagnosed among American patients.

Symptoms may include irregular menstrual cycles, weight changes, excess hair growth, acne, or challenges with fertility, according to experts.

Information from Johns Hopkins Medicine indicates that PCOS is associated with chronic inflammation that can worsen insulin resistance.

In some cases, women with the condition do not produce sufficient hormones to ovulate, which can lead to cyst formation on the ovaries.

These cysts may rupture, sometimes causing abdominal pain, nausea, or bleeding.

The cysts also release hormones known as androgens, which can disturb menstrual patterns and intensify other symptoms linked to the condition, Johns Hopkins notes.

Although there is no known cure for PCOS or PMOS, available medications may help manage certain symptoms.

Dr. Janette Nesheiwat previously commented on the essential role of hormone therapy for menopausal women, pointing to how hormone balance is central to various women’s health issues.

The recent renaming effort reflects a growing push among medical experts to ensure diagnostic terms accurately describe the disorders they represent.

By providing clearer medical language, specialists hope to reduce confusion and improve care for millions of women globally.