West Midlands gynae-health charity demand 'holistic care' following name change of common condition
“A name change is a start. Holistic care is what women deserve.”
A West Midlands-based gynaecological health charity has demanded ‘holistic care’ following the name change of a common condition.
Neelam Heera-Shergill, founder of Cysters group, praised the name change of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome to Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) as she it marks the start of change in the way the condition is approached in medical care.
PMOS is a chronic hormonal and metabolic condition that affects the way the ovaries and metabolism work - causing symptoms such as weight gain, missed periods and excessive hair growth.
It is believed to affect around 1 in 10 women and is the leading cause of female infertility.
The name was changed in May 2026 in order to reflect the condition’s affect on the whole body, rather than just the ovaries.
Now, Neelam - who is diagnosed with PMOS and endometriosis - and her Birmingham-based charity are demanding a change in care for the condition as ‘inclusivity is not simply changing the language we use.’
In a statement, shared via Instagram, she wrote: “A name change is a start. Holistic care is what women deserve.”
“At Cysters, we have always believed that the words we use matter. But changing PCOS to PMOS is only the beginning,” she continued.
“We need to change how we understand, diagnose and care for people living with this condition. Inclusivity is not simply changing the language we use.
“It means asking whose voices are shaping the conversation, whose experiences are informing research and who can actually access the care being recommended. At Cysters, community is not an add on.
“It is the foundation of everything we do. We centre the people most often excluded from healthcare conversations and work to ensure lived experience is valued as expertise. A new name means very little if the same people continue to be overlooked.
“We need a more holistic, intersectional approach to PMOS, one that recognises the diversity of those affected and makes sure that better language translates into better care. People deserve more than a name change. They deserve to be listened to, believed and supported.”