Do I Have PCOS? A Self-Screening Guide — and What the New Name Means
Two things changed recently. The condition was renamed, and the way it is diagnosed was simplified — including the fact that many people do not need an ultrasound at all. Both are worth knowing before your next appointment.
PCOS is diagnosed by meeting two of three criteria: irregular or absent ovulation, signs of excess androgens, and polycystic ovarian morphology. If you already have the first two, current guidance says an ultrasound is not necessary to make the diagnosis. In May 2026 the condition was renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) by international consensus.
Get the printable guide and the test list
The criteria checklist formatted to keep, with the exact tests to ask for — including the one the guideline says not to order — and what a good follow-up plan looks like once you have a diagnosis. Enter your email to read and download it. We send the guide and occasional articles on period health. Unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
Board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, licensed in Colorado. Diagnostic criteria per the 2023 International Evidence-based Guideline; terminology per the May 2026 international renaming consensus.