The Latin American Society for Pediatric Endocrinology (SLEP) supports the dissemination of the new international name for the condition previously known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, or PCOS. Following the global consensus published in The Lancet, the new name is Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS).

This change addresses a long-standing inaccuracy in the previous terminology. The name PCOS could suggest a condition mainly focused on ovarian “cysts”, when current evidence shows that it is a complex, chronic and multisystem disorder involving endocrine, metabolic, ovarian, dermatological, reproductive and psychological features.

PMOS affects approximately 1 in 8 women and more than 170 million women worldwide. The updated name aims to improve medical and public awareness, support earlier diagnosis, reduce stigma and promote more comprehensive, evidence-based care.

The name change process was developed through broad international engagement, including more than 22,000 survey responses, global workshops, women with lived experience, health professionals, patient organizations and scientific societies from different regions of the world, including SLEP.

For SLEP members, this update is highly relevant to the way this condition is communicated, studied and managed, particularly in pediatric and adolescent endocrinology, where timely diagnosis, medical education and long-term care are essential.

View multilingual resources

Source: Teede HJ, et al. The Lancet. Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic ovary syndrome.