Overview

• Polycystic ovary syndrome affects one in eight women and is linked to elevated risks of diabetes, heart disease, infertility and mental health disorders.
• A Monash University–led survey of around 7,700 clinicians and people with PCOS found that 76% of health professionals and 86% of patients back a name change.
• Potential new names have been narrowed to terms such as “endocrine” and “metabolic” to better capture the condition’s multisystem effects.
• International PCOS guidelines issued in 2018 and 2023, along with resources like the ASKPCOS app, have driven significant improvements in awareness and clinical understanding.
• Medical societies and patient advocacy groups across six continents have launched a multi-step consensus process, including a fresh international survey to finalize the new name.