Sameena Rahman, MD, FACOG, on role "metabolic" plays in new PMOS name

The landmark decision to rename polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), published in The Lancet on May 12, 2026, represents a major paradigm shift in women's health. The 3-year implementation strategy aims to embed this new terminology across global healthcare systems to improve diagnosis and care.^1,2

Board-certified ob-gyn, certified menopause practitioner, and clinical assistant professor at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, expanded on why the addition of the word "metabolic" can fundamentally change the way this syndrome is approached and treated.

For decades, restricting PMOS to the domain of gynecology has contributed to delayed diagnoses and fragmented care. By explicitly integrating "metabolic" into the name, the global consensus acknowledges the intrinsic roles of insulin resistance, obesity, and cardiovascular risk.

“We know insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction are really central drivers to this, and the inflammatory signaling that happens. This is an issue that is not just about a certain phenotype. So with these metabolic drivers for this systemic condition, this should really fundamentally change—with that word “metabolic”—it should fundamentally change how we look at this.” Rahman stated.

“This is not a GYN-only issue… This is a systemic issue. Everyone should know about it. Everyone should be able to treat it, similar to how we talk about menopause, as being anyone who treats a woman should be able to treat this condition. It is the same for PMOS. Anyone who treats someone born with a uterus, ovaries, and vagina should be able to treat this condition, because it is a multi-system inflammatory condition,” she explained.

“Once we have this understanding, all hands on deck, right? These patients should be able to see any person and be able to say, ‘OK, you know what, we need to get on top of this. We need to start some preventative strategies,’ because we know at the end of the day, heart disease is still the number one killer in women, and if we leave PMOS untreated, inevitably you're going to get this earlier, and maybe even more significantly. You might get diabetes, you might get dyslipidemia, all the things, and so let's get on top of it now. Let's start these lifestyle modifications today,” Rahman said.

References:

1. Fitch J. Global consensus renames PCOS to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). Contemporary OB/GYN. Published May 12, 2026. Accessed May 14, 2026. https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/global-consensus-renames-pcos-to-polyendocrine-metabolic-ovarian-syndrome-pmos-
2. Teede HJ, Khomami MB, Morman R, et al. Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic ovary syndrome: a multistep global consensus process. The Lancet. Published online May 12, 2026. Accessed May 12, 2026. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00717-8/fulltext