Why we say PMOS.

Why the terminology has changed

The label “polycystic ovary syndrome” has long been considered misleading. Many people with it don’t have cysts, and the ovaries are only part of the picture. A multistep global consensus of clinicians, researchers and patients settled on a name that reflects what the condition actually involves, published in The Lancet in May 2026.

What PMOS means

PMOS stands for polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the name agreed through a multistep global consensus process published in The Lancet in May 2026. The name keeps the familiar reference point while making the metabolic side visible, because that side is central to how the condition is experienced and managed.

More than ovaries or periods

PMOS can touch metabolism and insulin, skin and hair, energy and mood, weight and cravings, sleep, and fertility. Two people with the same diagnosis can live very different days. That’s why Cyster follows your whole picture rather than a single symptom.

Why Cyster uses PMOS, while honoring PCOS

We use PMOS because it better describes the condition. We also know PCOS is the name most people were given and searched for. Throughout Cyster you’ll see both, so nothing feels unfamiliar while the language catches up.

Sources

• Teede HJ, Costello MF, Misso ML, et al. Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic ovary syndrome: a multistep global consensus process. The Lancet. May 12, 2026. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00717-8. Open access.
• Piltonen T, Kuusiniemi E, Teede HJ. Ovarian cysts in polycystic ovary syndrome: a population-based prevalence study. JAMA Internal Medicine. May 11, 2026. DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2026.1370.
• Teede HJ, Misso ML, Costello MF, et al. International Evidence-based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Monash University Centre for Research Excellence in PCOS. 2023.