NICE says yearly PMOS reviews could help catch diabetes, heart risks and mental health issues

Women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome should receive annual NHS reviews under new draft guidance aimed at ending delays, missed diagnoses and inconsistent care.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, known as NICE, says PMOS yearly checks should help doctors monitor the condition beyond its most visible symptoms. The health watchdog wants clinicians to look not only at periods, fertility and hair growth, but also at longer-term risks such as diabetes, heart disease, depression and anxiety.

PMOS affects around one in eight women and was previously known as polycystic ovary syndrome. The name changed in May to reflect the wider impact the condition can have across the body. NICE says between three and four million women in the UK have PMOS, yet many still face slow diagnosis or uneven care.

Symptoms can include irregular or absent periods, difficulty getting pregnant, excessive hair growth on the face and body, weight gain, hair loss from the head, oily skin and acne. The condition is also a major cause of female infertility.

Under the draft guideline, doctors are urged to suspect PMOS sooner, assess symptoms more consistently and offer clearer routes to diagnosis. If PMOS is suspected, clinicians may use blood tests to check hormone levels and ultrasound scans to look for the multiple follicles often seen on the ovaries of people with the condition.

The proposed PMOS yearly checks would also give women a regular chance to discuss how the condition affects their daily lives. NICE says PMOS can have a significant impact on mental health and quality of life, with depression and anxiety commonly reported.

For women planning pregnancy, the guidance recommends advice on weight, diet, nutrition, exercise, sleep and mental health. NICE says lifestyle changes, alongside treatment, may help prevent more serious health problems.

There is no cure for PMOS, but the NHS already offers treatments to manage symptoms. These include hormone support and fertility drugs. However, NICE says laser and light therapies for hair reduction should not be offered because of cost concerns.

The human cost of delay is clear in the case of 21-year-old Kelis Bailey from the East Midlands. She began experiencing symptoms as a teenager but says it took a year of going back and forth with doctors before she received a diagnosis.

Kelis said her mental health was at its worst when her symptoms were at their worst. She also said one doctor had never heard of PMOS, which left her shocked. She described PMOS yearly checks as a really good idea because they could reassure women who live with the condition.

Her experience reflects a wider problem. Many women report struggling to understand what might be causing their symptoms. Others face long waits before someone joins the dots between irregular periods, fertility concerns, weight changes, hair growth and skin problems.

NICE also says PMOS should not be ruled out in women who have been through the menopause. It adds that the condition is thought to be more common in women of black, Asian and mixed ethnicity, and healthcare professionals should consider this when assessing symptoms.

Marie Anne Ledingham, consultant clinical advisor for women’s and reproductive health at NICE, said recommending a simple annual review was an important step. She said the new guideline should improve consistency of care, increase awareness and support earlier diagnosis and management.

The draft guideline is open for consultation from 1 July to 11 August 2026. NICE is inviting feedback from healthcare professionals, patients and the public before final guidance is expected in December 2026.

For millions of women, PMOS yearly checks could turn a confusing and often dismissed condition into something monitored, explained and treated with more care.