PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome) the new more appropriate term for PCOS.

Tue 12 May 2026… PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome) the new more appropriate term for PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)

 

“Hello everyone, this is Sue from the Bridge Centre for Natural Health, I just wanted to share with you a ground breaking name change for PCOS that has been announced today and has been a decade in the making: There will now be a three year transition from using the inaccurate term PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) to the new appropriate term PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome). (1)

 

This new name recognises that those of you with PMOS (PCOS) are no more likely to suffer from ovarian cysts than any other women (2) BUT what you are likely to see on your ultrasound scan are many underdeveloped follicles on at least one of your ovaries. It was this finding which unhelpfully led to the inappropriate use of the term polycystic in the first place and is often misunderstood by your GP! What this term also fails to emphasise are the endocrine and metabolic conditions that you are likely to be living with and the influences these have on your health throughout your life; from adolescence, through your fertile years and into menopause and beyond (3).

 

One positive aspect to remember when embarking on your fertility journey (and are often not told) is that these multiple follicles can actually result in a later menopause, extending your fertile window roughly four years past the average, whilst still achieving the same number of successful pregnancies as those women who do not have PMOS (4) particularly if these follicles are encouraged to ripen and release their eggs.

 

The good news is that this name change should gradually improve your GP understanding of your health and result in more appropriate ongoing health support. Meanwhile there is increasing evidence that fertility qualified Acupuncturists, such as those who are members of the AFN (Acupuncture Fertility Network), can support your fertility by focusing on such aspects as; stress reduction, hormone regulation, egg quality and release, and regulating endometrium thickness (5).

 

If you would like to discuss how I may be able to help support your fertility or your health more generally, then contact the clinic and I will arrange to give you a call.”

Sue Whalley-Lloyd

LicAc, MBAcC, MAFN, BScHons(Acupuncture), PhD

 

Resources & References

(1) VERITY (PCOS U.K.) 12/5/2026

(2) www.mchri.org.au 12/5/2026

(3) HJ Teede et al (12/5/2026)

Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic ovary syndrome: a multistep global consensus process.

in The Lancet.com, Health Policy, online first

(4) M Forslund et al (18/10/2018) Higher menopausal age but no differences in parity* in women with polycystic ovary syndrome compared with controls

In:

Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica

Volume 98, Issue 3 pp. 320-326

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.13489

(5)AFN (Acupuncture Fertility Network) https://acupuncturefertilitynetwork.co.uk/