For women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS, combination oral contraceptives are a first-line treatment. PMOS is a reproductive hormonal disorder that affects roughly one in ten women of reproductive age and causes symptoms such as an irregular menstrual cycle and hyperandrogenism, or an excess of male-typical hormones called androgens. Combination oral contraceptives are medications containing a mix of synthetic female hormones that women often use as a means of birth control. In the 1970s, researchers found that the synthetic female hormones in combination oral contraceptives can reduce excess androgens in women experiencing PMOS. Several medical conferences in the 1990s and early 2000s created a diagnostic standard for PMOS, which led to an increase in diagnoses across the world and expanded the number of women who were receiving combined oral contraceptives for PMOS management. By relieving hyperandrogenism, combination oral contraceptives help women manage the symptoms of PMOS and reduce their risk of long-term health problems.