PMOS, the condition formerly known as PCOS
In 2026 the condition known for decades as polycystic ovary syndrome was renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, PMOS, after a global consensus led by patients. The new name describes it better: it is a hormonal and metabolic condition that affects the ovaries, not a disease of cysts.
What PMOS is
PMOS affects roughly one woman in eight. The ovaries release eggs irregularly or not at all, androgen levels are often raised, and insulin resistance is common. The “cysts” of the old name were never cysts at all, but many small follicles that did not mature. That is why the name changed: it was steering patients and doctors towards the ovary when the real story was endocrine and metabolic.
Typical signs are irregular or absent periods, difficulty conceiving, acne or excess hair, weight that is hard to control, and, on ultrasound, ovaries with many small follicles. Not every woman has every sign, and the picture changes with age.
What it means for fertility
If you do not ovulate regularly, there are fewer chances to conceive each year. That is the main effect, and it is one of the most treatable causes of infertility. PMOS is also linked with a higher risk of early pregnancy loss and of diabetes in pregnancy, which is why the metabolic side is treated alongside the fertility side.
How Dr. Shami investigates it
A careful history of your cycles, an ultrasound, and blood tests for androgens, LH and FSH, AMH (often high in PMOS), thyroid and prolactin, plus glucose, insulin and lipids. She also rules out conditions that mimic PMOS. The result is a diagnosis you understand, not just a label carried from one doctor to the next.
How she treats it
- 1
Metabolic health first, honestly
Where weight or insulin resistance is part of the picture, even modest changes can restore ovulation. This is discussed as medicine, not as blame.
- 2
Ovulation induction
Letrozole or clomiphene tablets, or low-dose injections, with ultrasound monitoring to keep the response safe. For many women with PMOS this is all that is needed. See natural conception and ovulation induction.
- 3
IUI or IVF when it is right
If ovulation induction alone has not worked in the agreed number of cycles, or other factors are present, the next step is planned. IVF in PMOS needs careful protocols to avoid over-response, which is a particular area of her experience.
Dr. Ghina Shami
Questions patients ask
Is PMOS the same as PCOS?
Yes. PMOS is the new name adopted in 2026 for the condition previously called PCOS. The diagnosis and treatment are the same; the name now reflects that it is a hormonal and metabolic condition rather than a disease of ovarian cysts.
Can I get pregnant naturally with PMOS?
Many women do, especially when ovulation is restored through metabolic changes or simple medication. Dr. Shami always starts with the least invasive option that is realistic for you.
Does PMOS mean I will need IVF?
Usually not. IVF is reserved for women in whom simpler treatments have not worked or who have additional reasons for it. Most women with PMOS conceive with ovulation induction, with or without IUI.
Why is IVF riskier with PMOS?
Ovaries with many small follicles can over-respond to stimulation, with a risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Modern protocols and a freeze-all approach reduce this substantially, and Dr. Shami plans the cycle with that in mind.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Ghina Shami, Consultant Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility · September 2026
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