More Than a Name: My Thoughts on PCOS Becoming PMOS
Daphne Oh | September 27, 2026
“I make space to listen before assuming, understand before judging, and encourage without trying to change someone’s unique journey.”
As PCOS Awareness Month comes to an end, I have been reflecting on everything I have experienced and shared throughout this month. One topic that really stands out to me is the conversation surrounding the name Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and its transition to Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS). The name change was brought to my attention by a few of my Facebook friends and I was grateful for their input. That shows the impression and benefits of awareness. There is always something new to learn. You may ask, why the name change? If you have been following my journey, I think you will find the answer just as interesting as I did.
At first, changing the name of a condition might not seem like a big deal. After all, does changing a few words really change someone's experience?
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that sometimes words matter more than we realize.
PCOS Has ALWAYS Been More Than Ovarian Cysts
One of the things I have learned during my own journey with PCOS is just how complex this condition can be. PCOS doesn't have one face. It doesn't have one body type. It doesn't have one set of symptoms, and it certainly doesn't have one journey.
The name Polycystic Ovary Syndrome has caused confusion for years because ovarian cysts are not required for someone to have PCOS. What are commonly described as “cysts” in PCOS are actually ovarian follicles. Experts have raised concerns for years that the name doesn't accurately represent the complexity of the condition. This I can personally confirm.
That is one reason the transition to Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) feels meaningful to me.
The new name recognizes something that I have tried to emphasize throughout PCOS Awareness Month: this condition can involve so much more than the ovaries.
It can involve hormones, metabolism, menstrual and reproductive health, body changes, emotional wellness, and other aspects of a person's health.
Every Journey Can Look Different
Throughout this month, I have talked about PCOS using different illustrations and analogies because sometimes a picture helps us understand what medical terminology cannot.
I have thought about PCOS as a roadmap with different destinations, because no two journeys have to follow exactly the same route.
I have used the four seasons to represent change, because our bodies, circumstances, emotions, and needs can change throughout different seasons of our lives.
I have talked about the emotional rollercoaster that can come with navigating PCOS.
I've also talked about body changes, support from family and friends, hope, self-care, and learning not to compare one person's experience with another.
All of those conversations have reminded me of one important lesson:
Different does not mean less valid. One person's PCOS experience may look completely different from another person's experience. That doesn't make either journey less real or less deserving of compassion and understanding.
Why This Name Change Feels Important
The push to rename PCOS didn't happen overnight. Concerns about the name have existed for many years. I will admit that I was clueless about this debate but it makes so much sense to me since it has been brought to my attention. In 2012, an expert panel convened by the National Institutes of Health recommended that the name be changed because it was confusing and did not adequately reflect the condition.
The eventual renaming process also included something I believe is incredibly important: the voices of people actually living with PCOS. The international consensus process involved 56 patient and professional organizations and thousands of people worldwide. More than 14,000 people with PCOS and multidisciplinary healthcare professionals participated in the consensus research, while the broader engagement process received more than 22,000 survey responses. I wish I could have been a part of this survey. However, what matters most is that a positive change has been achieved.
The result was the new name:
Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS).
“Polyendocrine” recognizes the involvement of multiple hormonal systems. This is the most important in my personal opinion because it all starts with hormones. “Metabolic” acknowledges the metabolic features that can be part of the condition. And “ovarian” continues to recognize its reproductive and ovarian features.
To me, that feels like an important reminder that people deserve language that reflects the fullness of what they may be experiencing.
There Is Power in Being Heard
One of the biggest lessons I take from this change has nothing to do with memorizing a new medical term. It's about listening. It's about researchers listening to patients. It's about healthcare professionals continuing to learn. In my younger days, they just threw birth control at you and told you to deal with it. It's amazing to see more healthcare professionals take this medical condition seriously.
It's also about families and friends listening without judgment. And it's about those of us navigating our own wellness journeys learning to listen to our bodies with compassion instead of criticism.
Sometimes being understood begins with something as simple as someone being willing to listen. That is why I find it meaningful that people living with PCOS were included in the conversation about what their condition should be named. Their experiences helped shape the discussion.
Giving Ourselves Grace Through Change
There is also something beautifully symbolic about discussing a name change during a month when I have spent so much time talking about change itself. Our circumstances may change. Our bodies may change. Our plans may change. And even the language we use to understand our health can change as science gives us new information.
But change does not decrease our value. I've learned that wellness isn't about having everything figured out. Sometimes it's simply about being willing to learn, adjust, ask questions, advocate for ourselves, and keep moving forward.
We can give ourselves permission to build healthier habits gradually. We can acknowledge difficult seasons without allowing them to define our entire story. We can accept that someone else's journey doesn't have to look like ours.
And we can carry hope even when we don't have every answer yet.
PCOS Today, PMOS Tomorrow
The transition from PCOS to PMOS is expected to happen gradually. International organizations have described a three-year transition and education period, with full implementation planned alongside the 2028 International Guideline update.
So, for now, you will probably continue seeing both PCOS and PMOS. And that's okay. Changing a name doesn't erase everything people have experienced under the old one. It doesn't erase the years someone may have spent searching for answers, learning about their body, adjusting to changes, advocating for themselves, or simply trying to feel understood.
Instead, I choose to see this change as another chapter. And sometimes a new chapter doesn't begin because we suddenly have all the answers. Sometimes it begins simply because we're willing to keep turning the page.
As we continue learning about PCOS, and begin learning the name PMOS, I hope we continue creating spaces where every person feels heard, respected and supported.
Because behind every diagnosis is a person. Behind every symptom is an experience. And behind every experience is a story that deserves to be heard.
Happy PCOS/PMOS Awareness Month!
I hope this blog has found you in good spirits and that you have enjoyed reading my personal thoughts and experiences about PCOS awareness and the name change to PMOS. I was truly excited to write and share about this topic as it is very personal to me. Honestly, I get excited about everything that I write. However, I was excited to write and share this. I truly appreciate everyone's support, especially on this very meaningful topic. Please leave a comment and share any of your thoughts and experiences. Please keep it positive and motivating. You never know who you may be inspiring. Wishing everyone peace, happiness and abundance. Please check back weekly for my latest blogs and any that you may have missed. Some will be personal, others will be about spreading awareness and some will be a combination of both. Until next time...
-Daphne Oh
Kay Bea Presents
"Same World, Different Perspective
References
Endocrine Society. (May 12, 2026). Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome: New name to improve diagnosis and care of condition affecting 170 million women worldwide.
The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology / PubMed. (2026). Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic ovary syndrome: a multistep global consensus process.
American Society for Reproductive Medicine. (May 27, 2026). PCOS is Now PMOS: Understanding the Name Change.
European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). PCOS Name Change.
Azziz, R. (2014). Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: What's in a Name? The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Comments