Background: Medical nomenclature can influence patients, clinicians, diagnostic accuracy, and health outcomes. On 12 May 2026, after a multi-year global consensus process, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was formally renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). The change reflected the recognition that the older term was scientifically imprecise and could contribute to delayed diagnosis, fragmented care, stigma, and limited patient understanding. Objectives: Using the PCOS-to-PMOS transition as a case study, this narrative review examines how an imprecise name may contribute to di

Abstract Background Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly known as Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine disorder affecting 8–13% of the reproductive-aged women globally. Despite its significant metabolic, reproductive, and psychological consequences, up to 70% of affected women remain undiagnosed worldwide, mainly due to insufficient public and professional awareness. While the clinical dimensions of PMOS have been extensively studied, no systematic review has comprehensively synthesised global evidence on knowledge levels of PMOS across diverse populations. This review aims to evaluate knowledge levels regarding PMOS across countries and population groups; identify factors associated with PMOS knowledge; examine the characteristics and psychometric properties of PMOS knowledge assessment instruments across all studies; and identify gaps in the knowledge domain and propose evidence-based recommendations. Method A systematic search of CINAHL, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, JSTOR, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar was conducted for studies published between January 2000 and May 2026. Cross-sectional and interventional studies reporting pre-intervention PMOS knowledge were included in the review. Quality was appraised using the NIH Quality Assessment Tools appropriate to each study design. A narrative synthesis, as per the Synthesis Without Meta-Analysis (SWiM) and PRISMA guidelines, was adopted, given substantial heterogeneity across studies. Results 89 studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising 70 cross-sectional studies, three randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and 16 pre-post or quasi-experimental studies, drawn from 23 countries across four geographic regions. PMOS knowledge was consistently inadequate across all population groups and settings except medical students. Baseline findings from interventional studies also supported this pattern. Education level, healthcare background, personal or family history of PMOS, and urban residence were the most consistently reported determinants of knowledge. Instrument analysis revealed near-universal reliance on de novo, self-constructed questionnaires with limited psychometric validation; no universally standardised PMOS knowledge tool was identified. Conclusions PMOS knowledge remains critically inadequate across most global populations, most severely among rural, adolescent, and general community samples. The absence of a validated, standardised assessment instrument is the foremost methodological challenge in this field. Development of such a tool, alongside targeted educational interventions and curriculum integration, is urgently required.

Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders of premenopausal women. It was previously known as polycystic ovary syndrome until its renaming in 2026 as the result of a global consensus process. PMOS etiology is multifactorial. Among the many likely significant environmental factors is bisphenol A (BPA), a ubiquitous industrial xenoestrogen which may contribute to multitude symptoms. This review analyzes the mechanistic, genetic, metabolic, and epidemiological evidence linking BPA exposure to PMOS. Specific attention is devoted to the medical and