PCOS to PMOS: Why the Name Change Reflects Metabolism

In May 2026, the condition previously known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).¹ According to The Lancet, the name change was supported by a global coalition with the aim of addressing negative effects of the inaccuracy of the previous name, such as hindered diagnosis and reduced patient care. Overall, the new name indicates a shift toward multisystem metabolic interventions for the condition, rather than a focus on reproductive symptoms alone.

For more insight into the understanding and treatment of PMOS, Nutritional Outlook spoke with Dr. Thais Aliabadi, OBGYN, Co-Host of the SHE MD podcast and Co-Founder of the hormone and metabolic support supplement Ovii. In this interview, Dr. Aliabadi shares more on the significance of the name change, the metabolic roots of the condition, and the support needed for women living with PMOS.

Nutritional Outlook: Could you explain more on why the PCOS to PMOS rename matters?

Dr. Thais Aliabadi: The name change matters because words matter. The way we name a condition shapes the way women are understood, diagnosed, and treated.

For years, the term PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) has been incredibly misleading. So many women were told they “have cysts on their ovaries,” when in reality many of them do not have true ovarian cysts at all. What we often see are small immature follicles that reflect disrupted ovulation and hormone signaling.

But this condition was never just about the ovaries.

PMOS (polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome) is a more accurate reflection of what women are actually experiencing. This is a condition involving multiple hormone systems, metabolism, insulin regulation, androgen levels, inflammation, ovulation, skin, hair, mood, fertility, and long-term health risks like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

And honestly, for many women, this change feels validating, because so many women spent years feeling dismissed. They knew something was wrong. They were struggling with irregular cycles, acne, facial hair growth, weight changes, fatigue, infertility, anxiety, or brain fog, and yet many were told everything was “normal” simply because they didn’t have classic ovarian cysts on ultrasound.

My hope is that this name change helps women feel seen. That we move away from reducing this condition to an ultrasound finding and toward understanding the whole-body hormonal and metabolic picture.

Nutritional Outlook: Can you explain the metabolic and endocrine roots of the condition?

Aliabadi: PMOS is really a conversation between hormones and metabolism.

On the endocrine side, many women have elevated androgen levels, hormones like testosterone, which can contribute to acne, excess facial or body hair, scalp hair thinning, irregular ovulation, and irregular periods.

But one of the biggest drivers underneath all of this is often insulin resistance.

Insulin is the hormone that helps move glucose from the bloodstream into the cells for energy. When the body becomes resistant to insulin, the body has to produce more and more of it to compensate. Those higher insulin levels can then stimulate the ovaries to produce more androgens, which disrupt ovulation and worsen symptoms.

This is why PMOS is so much more than a reproductive condition.

It can affect fertility, weight, energy, mood, cholesterol, sleep, inflammation, blood sugar, cardiovascular health, and even mental health. And every woman can experience it differently.

That’s also why treatment should never be one-size-fits-all. A woman with PMOS deserves a full evaluation, not just an ultrasound. We should be looking at her cycle history, metabolic health, androgen symptoms, insulin resistance, fertility goals, inflammation, family history, and overall quality of life.

Nutritional Outlook: What should women know about symptoms and treatment for this condition?

Aliabadi: The first thing women should know is that PMOS does not look the same in every woman.

Some women struggle with irregular periods. Others struggle with acne, facial hair growth, scalp hair thinning, weight gain, difficulty losing weight, fatigue, anxiety, mood changes, or infertility. And some women are very thin and still have significant insulin resistance and PMOS symptoms.

The second thing women need to know is this: You do not need to have ovarian cysts to have this condition.

That misunderstanding alone delayed diagnosis for countless women.

Treatment should always depend on the woman sitting in front of you, her symptoms, her goals, her stage of life, and what is happening metabolically and hormonally in her body.

For some women, the priority is regulating cycles and protecting the uterine lining. For others, it’s improving acne or hair growth. For others, it’s restoring ovulation and supporting fertility. And for many women, we also need to address insulin resistance, inflammation, cholesterol, blood sugar, sleep, stress, and long-term cardiovascular health.

Treatment may include hormonal regulation, medications that address androgen-related symptoms, metformin for metabolic support, fertility medications when pregnancy is the goal, and individualized lifestyle strategies.

But one thing I always want women to hear is this: This is not your fault.

Women with PMOS have spent far too many years being blamed or shamed. Lifestyle absolutely matters and can be incredibly powerful, but this is not simply about “eating less and exercising more.” This is biology, hormones, metabolism, inflammation, and genetics interacting together.

The goal is not shame. The goal is understanding.

Nutritional Outlook: How do you see the future of PMOS care and women’s health research?

Aliabadi: I think the future of PMOS care is going to become much more personalized, much more metabolic, and much more centered around truly listening to women.

For too long, women with this condition were dismissed, told to lose weight, quickly placed on birth control without a full explanation, or only taken seriously once they were struggling to get pregnant.

That has to change.

The future should include earlier diagnosis, better education for clinicians, better metabolic screening, more research into root causes, and more individualized treatment pathways. We need to better understand why PMOS looks so different from one woman to another and how genetics, insulin resistance, inflammation, stress, environmental exposures, and even the microbiome may all play a role.

But we also need to study women’s real lived experiences. The fatigue. The hair loss. The acne. The anxiety. The fertility fears. The body image struggles. The emotional exhaustion of not feeling believed.

To me, the PMOS name change is not just cosmetic. It reflects a larger shift happening in women’s health; moving away from isolated symptoms and toward a more comprehensive, whole-body understanding of women’s health.

And honestly, I think women are long overdue for that kind of care.

Nutritional Outlook: How can lifestyle, nutrition, and targeted supplementation support symptom management?

Aliabadi: Lifestyle, nutrition, and targeted supplementation can be incredibly powerful tools when they are approached thoughtfully and individually.

For many women with PMOS, the goal is to improve insulin sensitivity, stabilize blood sugar, reduce inflammation, support ovulation, improve energy, and protect long-term cardiovascular and metabolic health. That often means prioritizing protein, fiber, strength training, regular movement, sleep, stress reduction, and reducing dramatic blood sugar spikes.

But I never want women to reduce their worth or progress to a number on the scale.

Some women improve their cycles, energy, inflammation, insulin sensitivity, and overall health long before significant weight changes happen. And many women with PMOS are not overweight at all.

Supplementation can also play a supportive role when used appropriately and as part of a broader treatment plan. The goal is to support the body’s metabolic and hormonal pathways in a more targeted way.

And honestly, this is part of why I created Ovii. I wanted women to have something thoughtful and science-driven instead of feeling completely overwhelmed standing in the supplement aisle trying to guess what their body needs.

Women deserve clarity. They deserve education. And they deserve a plan that actually looks at the whole picture of what their body is trying to tell us.

Reference

1. McEvoy E. Global Consensus Renames PCOS to Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS). May 13, 2026. Accessed May 22, 2026. https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/global-consensus-renames-pcos-to-polyendocrine-metabolic-ovarian-syndrome-pmos-