PMOS affects half of Pakistani women, say health experts
A Karachi roundtable warned against self-diagnosis and urged lifestyle changes after a 2026 study found 48.5 percent prevalence of the hormonal disorder.
KARACHI: The Aga Khan University Hospital marked PMOS Awareness Month by hosting a media roundtable in Karachi titled “PMOS: Beyond Periods and Pregnancy,” and used the event to urge women to treat polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome as a condition that affects the whole body rather than only fertility.
Business Recorder reported that the hospital cited a 2026 study by Noland et al that put the prevalence of PMOS among women in Pakistan at 48.5 percent. The condition was previously known as polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, and was renamed in 2026 after a consensus among global reproductive and endocrine experts to reflect its metabolic and hormonal causes.
Specialists told journalists that PMOS is frequently misunderstood. It cannot be diagnosed from an ultrasound alone, irregular periods do not always mean a woman has the condition, and it is not limited to overweight women. The hospital said in South Asia even lean or thin women can develop PMOS.
Dr Asma Ahmed, consultant endocrinologist at AKUH, said the long-held narrow view of PMOS as a fertility problem had done women a disservice. “The condition touches almost every part of a woman’s health, from her hormones and her weight to her heart and her state of mind,” she said, adding that early diagnosis and whole-person treatment produce good outcomes.
Dr Sumaira Naz, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, said the most common mistake was women diagnosing themselves online or ignoring signs out of embarrassment. She urged women with irregular periods, unexplained weight gain or persistent acne to speak to a doctor rather than search the internet.
The hospital said the condition is linked to longer-term risks including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and depression. Dawn reported that health experts have also stressed lifestyle changes as part of managing PMOS in Pakistani women.
AKUH said the roundtable was part of its wider effort to improve public understanding of women’s health and encourage timely medical advice.
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