The IVF Project

PCOS is now PMOS.

The condition formerly known as Polycystic O***y Syndrome has officially been renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) following a global consensus process published in The Lancet.

And this change is more than semantics.

For years, the term “PCOS” has been criticised for being misleading. Many women with the condition do not actually have ovarian cysts, while the name itself failed to reflect the complex endocrine and metabolic features that underpin the condition.

PMOS better acknowledges what the research has shown for decades: this is a multisystem condition involving insulin resistance, metabolic dysfunction, hormone signalling, ovarian function, inflammation, and reproductive health.

Language matters.
Because names shape awareness, diagnosis, research, and care.

Reference:
Teede HJ, Bahri Khomami M, Morman R, et al. Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic o***y syndrome: a multistep global consensus process. The Lancet. Published online May 12, 2026.

Exercise is a physiological regulator of reproductive health, not just a lifestyle choice.

Regular movement influences mitochondrial efficiency, oxidative stress balance, insulin sensitivity, and inflammatory signalling - key mechanisms underpinning both oocyte competence and s***m function. At the same time, exercise shapes the gut microbiome, increasing microbial diversity and short-chain fatty acid production, which play a role in immune regulation, hormone metabolism, and the reproductive environment.

This interconnected system - the gut–metabolic–reproductive axis - means that how you move your body can directly influence fertility outcomes at a cellular level.

If you are preparing for conception or IVF, these foundations matter.

At The IVF Project, we take an evidence-led approach to exercise, nutrition, and physiology to support egg and s***m quality, and optimise reproductive outcomes.

If you are ready to take a more strategic approach to your fertility, we are here to support you.

👉Pregnany rate in 150 women group 1: 55%
👉Pregnancy rate in 38 women group 2: 27%

So you might be wondering, “What was the difference between these two groups?!?”

The answer is: Allostatic load.

Allostatic load is the cummulative load we experience from chronic stressors and life events.

Allostasis is the ability to adapt to different stressors to maintain physiological balance or homeostasis.

When our stressors outweigh our coping reserves we can experience impacts on our physical and psychological wellbeing.

Allostatic load represents the functions of the neuroendocrine, immune, metabolic and cardiovascular systems, and how our every day life impacts our mental and physical health.

A high allostatic load is a risk for negative impacts upon our health and wellbeing, and fertility.

In a recent study allostatic load was quantified by investigating markers of health including blood pressure, inflammatory proteins, body mass index, cortisol and noradrenaline.

In women with a lower allostatic load, pregnancy rate after 12 months was 57%. This was almost double that of women who had high allostatic loads where pregnancy rate was 27%.

There could be so many take home messages here. It could be to:

🌱nourish your body to support antioxidant defences

👐create a village to lighten your load

💼better integrate your work and home life to reduce stress

⛹add movement into your day to realise all the mental and physiological benefits of physical activity

🎼find activities that work for you to calm your sympathetic nervous system (slow down and smell the roses, read a book, meditate...)

🧬create a fertile gut to support your immune system, metabolic health and neuroendocrine function.

If you want to reduce your allostatic load join us in our online course and implement the strategies to support pregnancy success.
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Hong et al, Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2022 Nov; 101(11): 1300–1307

Conception is influenced long before fertilisation.

From insulin signalling and methylation to vitamin D status and the gut microbiome - these systems shape egg quality, ovulation, and implantation outcomes.

This is where we focus: supporting the environment that fertility depends on.