PCOS Is Officially Renamed, After Decades of Misinformation

Summary: For over a century, a common health issue for women was called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). But the name was totally wrong! It was first named in 1935 by two male surgeons who thought women had "cysts" on their ovaries. It turns out, those aren't cysts at all—they are just small, underdeveloped eggs.

Because of the confusing name, many women were ignored when they had other symptoms like weight gain, acne, or mental distress. Now, after 14 years of hard work by patients and doctors, the name is officially changing to Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS). This new name shows that it affects the whole body, including insulin and metabolism, not just the ovaries. Up to 85% of patients have insulin resistance, and this new name might finally help them get the right medicines, like metformin, covered by insurance instead of paying out of pocket.

For more details, see sciencealert at sciencealert.com/pcos-is-officially-renamed-after-decades-of-misinformation (opens in new tab)