Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Will Get a New Name Because No One Knows WTF It Is

Yesterday, an panel convened by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggested that Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that affects as many as five million American women, should receive a new name.

They said the current name is confusing because women don’t need to have ovarian cysts to have PCOS, and the presence of cysts alone is not enough to diagnose the disorder. In some cases, such confusion may delay a diagnosis of PCOS.

“The name PCOS is a distraction that impedes progress. It is time to assign a name that reflects the complex interactions that characterize the syndrome,” panel member Dr. Robert A. Rizza, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, said in a statement. “The right name will enhance recognition of this issue and assist in expanding research support.”

Right on. But what’s a better name? Anyone out there with PCOS have any thoughts? And, actually, anyone with PCOS who’s not down with the name change? Sometimes when support communities are built, something as seemingly small as a name change can cause ripples.