health

Can a name change transform PCOS outcomes for women?

After more than a decade of global consultation, polycystic ovary syndrome – which affects as many as one in eight women – has been renamed. The condition is caused by high levels of androgens, which can lead to symptoms such as excess hair, weight gain and irregular periods. To understand why campaigners wanted it renamed, and what its new name – polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) – could mean for patients, Madeleine Finlay hears from the Guardian’s science correspondent, Nicola Davis, and Rachel, a campaigner from the charity Verity

Can a name change transform PCOS outcomes for women?

TL;DR

  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been renamed after over a decade of global consultation.
  • The new name for the condition is polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).
  • PCOS affects as many as one in eight women.
  • The condition is caused by high levels of androgens, resulting in symptoms like excess hair, weight gain, and irregular periods.
  • The article discusses the reasons for the name change and its potential impact on patients.