Five Things to Know About Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, the New Name for PCOS
In Case You're Skimming:
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is now known as Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), a name change that is intended to better reflect the symptoms of the disease and reduce barriers to diagnosis.
Margaret Lippincott, MD
Irregular periods, stubborn acne, unwanted hair growth, weight challenges, and insulin resistance may seem like separate issues, but they can all be connected to Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), formerly known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
PMOS is a common disorder that can influence hormones, metabolism, menstrual cycles, mental well-being, and long-term risks for conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
In this article, Margaret Lippincott, MD(opens in new tab), a reproductive endocrinologist and investigator at Mass General Brigham, shares five key things to know about PMOS, including its symptoms, diagnosis, fertility, and why many people go years without realizing they have it.
1. PMOS can affect multiple aspects of your health, not just your ovaries.
PMOS is linked to a variety of metabolic, reproductive, psychological and dermatological symptoms, Lippincott explains. It may cause unpredictable menstrual periods, excess hair growth (hirsutism), severe acne, and/or female pattern hair loss.
It can also increase your risk for insulin resistance, diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, mental health issues and weight struggles.
2. The condition was renamed to reduce confusion, improve diagnosis, and better reflect its multisystem effects.
PMOS was formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The condition was renamed by medical consensus(opens in new tab) earlier this year, based on recommendations from a large group of clinicians, patients, and advocates. The goal of the name change is to reduce confusion about the disorder and its symptoms.
While PCOS was historically considered to be a gynecological or ovarian disorder, mounting evidence shows that it is a systemic disorder, underpinned by endocrine disturbances in insulin, androgens, neuroendocrine and ovarian hormones.
"PMOS more accurately reflects the endocrine and metabolic issues that affect people with PMOS," Lippincott says. “The updated name emphasizes that the condition affects hormones and metabolism throughout the body, not just the ovaries.”
3. Many people don't realize their symptoms may be PMOS.
Patients can often struggle for years with the symptoms of PMOS before receiving a confirmatory diagnosis. One reason that a PMOS diagnosis can be delayed is that symptoms are often normalized or attributed to family traits passed down from one generation to the next.
"Individuals often think they take after a family member in terms of missed menstrual periods or hair growth," Lippincott explains. "In reality, the symptoms may be signs of PMOS."
She also notes that PMOS is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning doctors must rule out other conditions that can look similar before making a diagnosis.
4. A PMOS diagnosis does not automatically mean infertility.
One of the most common misconceptions about PMOS is that patients who are diagnosed with the disorder will not be able to have children. That is not the case, Lippincott says.
"While some people with PMOS may face fertility challenges, a diagnosis does not mean getting pregnant will be hard,” Lippincott says. “Patients are typically able to have as many children as they want and often underestimate their ability to get pregnant."
5. PMOS may affect you mentally as well as physically.
PMOS can impact emotional and mental well-being in multiple ways, Lippincott says.
“Unpredictable bleeding can be embarrassing and can sometimes limit social interaction; weight struggles can impact sense of self and self-confidence; having a diagnosis of a medical problem at a young age can change how people view life,” Lippincott says.
“It’s important to normalize these mental health challenges, implement standard screenings to detect them in PMOS patients and intervene as early as possible.”
Help Advance PMOS Research!(opens in new tab)
Dr. Lippincott and her research team are working to better understand the health challenges faced by people living with reproductive disorders such as PMOS. If you'd like to contribute to future discoveries, consider joining their research registry and health questionnaire study.