Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS/PCOS) 🩺
🧠 Clinical mechanism: A syndrome of ovulatory dysfunction and androgen excess, often with insulin resistance, affecting cycles, skin and fertility; PCOS is the familiar historic term.
🔎 Recognise
- Irregular or absent menses, hirsutism, acne, subfertility and metabolic risk; consider other causes of amenorrhoea or androgen excess.
🛟 First assessment and action
- Discuss menstrual, fertility and cardiometabolic goals; address lifestyle, screening and personalised contraceptive or specialist treatment decisions.
🧪 Investigations and reassessment
- Clinical assessment and targeted endocrine/metabolic tests; pelvic ultrasound when diagnostically appropriate, not a standalone requirement.
⚠️ Pitfall / escalation
- Polycystic ovarian morphology alone is not sufficient for diagnosis. GMC MLA terminology was revised in September 2026; local coding may still use PCOS.
UK reference: Primary NHS/NICE/RCOG/GMC source.
Editorial draft, 7 November 2026: targeted source-supported educational summary, NOT independent consultant/pharmacist verification or a treatment protocol. Follow up-to-date BNF, NICE and local NHS pathways.
Related: Amenorrhoea · Menstrual problems · Subfertility in Women