MS Explains: The medical condition that affects one in eight women

In early May, a health policy published in the medical journal The Lancet announced that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been renamed to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).

For centuries, the condition — which affects one out of eight women — has been treated as an ovarian disorder.

This has caused delayed diagnoses, knowledge gaps, and patient dissatisfaction.

After years of experts advocating for a name change, a global consensus has finally been reached.

Read more to find out why the change was needed, and what this means for patients.

Why was the name change necessary?

PMOS has been observed as early as 460 BC to 377 BC by the ancient Greek philosopher Hippocrates.

In his work ‘Diseases of Women’, he wrote about women who have little to no menstruation, exhibit masculine appearance, and did not become pregnant.

In 1935, the term ‘polycystic ovary syndrome’ was coined. 

However, the term PCOS is inaccurate as it implies the existence of ovarian cysts, a symptom not all patients have.

According to the World Health Organisation,