Insulin resistance affects a majority of women with PCOS, including many who are not overweight. When cells stop responding properly to insulin, the body produces more of it, and insulin’s job is to store fat and prevent its release. This means women with PCOS are working against a hormone actively instructing their body to hold onto weight. It is a metabolic obstacle, not a willpower problem.
PCOD, PCOS, and PMOS all refer to the same condition. PCOD is an older informal term still common in Pakistan and India. PCOS was the internationally recognised name until 2026. PMOS is the current correct name. None of them is a milder or more severe version of the others, and all three are diagnosed and treated identically.
In May 2026, polycystic ovary syndrome was officially renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, shortened to PMOS. It is the same condition. Your diagnosis has not changed, your treatment has not changed, and you do not need to see your doctor about it. The name was changed because “polycystic” was medically inaccurate and was causing women to be misdiagnosed.
PCOS and Insulin Resistance: Why Losing Weight Is Harder for You
