Study Challenges Autism Gender Gap: Reveals Equal Prevalence in Females

A new study challenges the commonly held belief that autism predominantly affects males, suggesting the disorder is just as prevalent in females. Published in The BMJ, the research indicates that diagnosis rates among adolescents show a catch-up effect in girls around ages 15 to 19.

Researchers from Sweden and the U.S. tracked 2.7 million people born in Sweden from 1985 to 2022. While three boys are diagnosed for every girl by age 10, the ratio balances by age 20. This suggests females may be underdiagnosed or diagnosed later, said Anne Cary in an editorial.

The study underscores the need to address why females are diagnosed later, potentially due to better communication skills masking symptoms. Dr. Rachel Moseley emphasized that undiagnosed autism could lead to severe hardships, indicating a crucial gap in recognizing the disorder in females.