PCOS Is Now PMOS: What the Name Change Means and How To Navigate the Condition During Menopause
The new name more accurately reflects the condition, which impacts so many facets of women's health
Key Takeaways
- PCOS was renamed PMOS to better reflect how the condition impacts hormones and metabolism.
- PMOS may make menopause more complex by affecting blood sugar, weight, heart health and more.
- Symptoms like facial hair growth, acne and insulin resistance may continue after menopause.
After years of confusing symptoms including weight changes, irregular periods and unwanted facial hair growth, millions of women finally have a clearer path to understanding their bodies. On May 12, a major breakthrough arrived: polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was officially renamed PMOS, or polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome.
This isn’t just a name change. It’s a game-changer that could help the 70 percent of women worldwide who have the condition but don’t even know it yet, according to the World Health Organization. Whether women haven’t recognized their symptoms, doctors have missed the signs or medical providers have struggled to accurately diagnose the condition, too many women have been left searching for answers. We asked experts to break down what this empowering shift means for you, especially if you’re navigating menopause.
Why was PCOS renamed PMOS?
If you’re already living with a PCOS diagnosis, you likely have a lot of questions—the initial one being: Why was the name of my condition changed?
Woman's World Answers
“The name was changed because polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, did not fully or accurately describe the condition,” explains Maral Malekzadeh, DO, a board-certified gynecologist. “For many years, the name led people to believe the condition was mainly about ovarian cysts, when in reality it is a broader hormone and metabolic condition that can affect the menstrual cycle, skin, weight, blood sugar, fertility and long-term health.”
Dr. Malekzadeh says PMOS, the new name for PCOS, is a more accurate representation of a condition involving the ovaries, metabolism, multiple hormones and how the body processes and uses energy.
The benefits of renaming PCOS to PMOS
Is this just a terminology update, or does it actually affect your day-to-day life with PMOS? “The name change should not immediately change day-to-day care,” says Dr. Malekzadeh. “Women may still hear both PCOS and PMOS used during the transition period, and the same symptoms and health concerns are being discussed.”
Dr. Malekzadeh adds the name change will encourage medical providers to take a more whole-body approach to the condition beyond just looking at the menstrual cycle and ovaries. She says the shift encourages providers to also consider factors such as blood sugar, insulin resistance, cholesterol, weight changes, skin symptoms, fertility, emotional health and long-term cardiometabolic risk.
How is PMOS diagnosed?
In order to diagnose the condition, Dr. Malekzadeh says your doctor will be looking for:
- Signs of higher androgen levels such as excess facial or body hair, acne or elevated androgen levels on bloodwork
- Polycystic-appearing ovaries on an ultrasound
- Infrequent or irregular ovulation
“Importantly, not every person has all of these features, and other conditions that can mimic PMOS should be ruled out before making the diagnosis,” says Dr. Malekzadeh.
“For example, thyroid disorders such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism can cause irregular periods, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) can lead to an overproduction of male hormones (androgens) and cause facial hair, acne and/or irregular periods,” adds Brynna Connor, MD, healthcare ambassador at NorthWestPharmacy.com. “Similarly, many women with PMOS may not exhibit ovarian cysts on an ultrasound, and this misunderstanding was one of the major reasons why the condition was renamed.”
How menopause impacts PMOS
PMOS is typically diagnosed during your reproductive years. But what happens to health conditions you’re already managing when menopause arrives? If you have PMOS, understanding how these two intersect can help you navigate this transition with confidence.
“PMOS can make the menopause transition more complex because some of the underlying hormone and metabolic patterns may continue even as menstrual cycles change,” says Dr. Malekzadeh. “During perimenopause, which is the transition leading up to menopause, periods often become irregular naturally. For someone with PMOS, who may already have a history of irregular cycles, it can be harder to know what is due to PMOS and what is due to menopause.”
Menopause can increase health risks alone, and adding PMOS into the mix can put you at even greater risk. “The biggest concerns are often metabolic,” explains Dr. Malekzadeh. “Women with PMOS may be at higher risk for insulin resistance, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, cholesterol abnormalities and cardiovascular risk factors. During menopause, estrogen levels decline, and that can also affect cholesterol, body composition and heart health.”
How does PMOS impact menopause symptoms?
“Symptoms like hot flashes, sleep disruption and mood changes are still driven largely by changing estrogen levels, but PMOS can add another layer to how a woman feels overall,” explains Dr. Malekzadeh. She adds that PMOS affects women’s quality of life differently, as some may continue experiencing androgen-related symptoms like acne or facial hair growth while others may struggle more with insulin resistance, weight changes or blood sugar concerns during the menopause transition.
3 tips for women navigating PMOS and menopause
Navigating PMOS and menopause together? Here’s what our experts want you to know:
Prioritize your metabolic health
Dr. Malekzadeh says PMOS impacts the whole body, not just the ovaries or menstrual cycle, which makes it important for women in menopause to monitor factors such as blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, heart health and weight changes with a healthcare provider.
Don’t ignore new or worsening symptoms
Symptoms such as heavy bleeding, pelvic pain, rapid weight changes, worsening facial hair growth or signs of high blood sugar should not be dismissed as a normal part of aging or menopause. Dr. Malekzadeh recommends talking to a clinician about any new or changing symptoms.
Take care of your mental health too
PMOS can affect emotional health as well as physical health, especially during menopause, Dr. Connor says. She notes that anxiety, depression and body-image concerns are common and says some women may benefit from care across multiple areas of health.
The bottom line on PMOS
If you’ve been living with a PCOS diagnosis, learning about the name change to PMOS might feel overwhelming at first, but our experts affirm the shift represents an important step that could help millions of women finally get the accurate diagnosis, comprehensive care and understanding they deserve.
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