The Autoimmune Crisis Is Changing The Trajectory Of Women's Lives 

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues. There are more than 80 known conditions in this category, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

Across the board, women are more likely to develop these conditions. Estimates consistently show that roughly 80% of autoimmune patients are women, a statistic that has held steady across decades of research. 

But that number, while striking, doesn’t fully capture the reality. This isn’t just about prevalence. It’s about how these conditions change the trajectory of their lives. Often lifelong chronic diseases, diagnosis usually happens during their most active years—between early adulthood and midlife—when careers, caregiving, and social lives are taking shape. Not to mention, it’s a time when identity, independence, and long-term life plans are being solidified.

What’s for certain is that women are disproportionately affected by autoimmune disease. We’re also getting closer to understanding why—more on that below—but what we’ve not yet fully captured is how autoimmune diseases ripple through every part of a woman’s life, often without the recognition or support that major, life-altering diseases require.

A 2026 national survey found that of working women with autoimmune diseases, 70% said that their career potential had suffered as a result of their condition. Conducted by Autoimmune Association and WellTheory, the survey aimed to get a deeper understanding of how autoimmune disease may impact a woman's professional growth and financial stability.

A staggering 68% of women reported significant negative career impacts, including major limitations to career potential: 28% report having to switch to less demanding roles, 14% having to change careers, and 13% having to turn down a promotion. Some women are simply leaving the workforce, either by reducing hours (39%) or exiting altogether (11%). 

Anyone who has an autoimmune disorder likely understands why, and the survey pointed to three primary causes: pain (61%), fatigue (54%), and brain fog (26%). 

Unfortunately, women are dealing with this on their own, often without corporate support: 61% of women say they have not disclosed their diagnosis to their employer, noting they didn’t think it’d help (41%), fear they’d be judged (31%), or that they’d be passed up for opportunities (28%). 

Career impact is a financial burden in and of itself. All of the above statistics—the stunted trajectory, the forced pivots—translate to limited earning potential, lost wages, and reduced income. (This, on top of the fact that women earn only 85% of what men do, according to the most recent data.) But the financial strain doesn’t stop there. 

Autoimmune diseases are costly. “Autoimmune diseases also carry substantial costs, estimated at more than $100 billion per year for health care in the U.S. Accounting for indirect costs, such as lost productivity and the broader impact on dependents, families, and society, the costs to the American people are likely much higher,” NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya said in a recent statement. 

One hundred billion per year is the sort of number that’s impossible to even wrap your head around. So much so that it’s hard to imagine what that means for the individual or the day-to-day financial reality. Well, those figures are no less daunting: excess medical and pharmacy treatment costs for those with autoimmune conditions range from $2,200 to $33,500 per year. 

Of course, we can’t talk about the full-life impact of autoimmune disease without addressing the most personal: family and social life.

Almost impossible to truly capture through data, some research has attempted to shed light in at least a few areas: Studies show higher rates of caregiving strain, relationship stress, and reduced participation in social activities among those with chronic autoimmune conditions—driven largely by fatigue, pain, and the unpredictability of flare cycles. 

There’s even evidence that women with certain autoimmune diseases are less likely to have children or have fewer children than they originally wanted—in part due to fertility issues, fear of passing on the condition, concerns about disease management, or the physical demands of parenting. 

These burdens take a toll. Research shows that up to half of people with autoimmune disorders report having reduced quality of life. Women are not only more prone to autoimmune disease—but they’re also more prone to suffering depression1 as a side effect.  

Patient advocate Amy Kurtz, author of But You Look Fine (out June 2026), explained that these numbers are only a sliver of what people actually experience. 

Across all mammals, the X-Y chromosome differentiates sex. Men carry both the X and Y, while women carry double X chromosomes. 

In 2024, researchers at Stanford Medicine made a major discovery in our understanding of the autoimmune gender gap. The findings, published in the journal Cell2, revealed that the X chromosome plays an active part in the development of autoimmune conditions. Or, rather, an inactive part.

Emerging research suggests that incomplete X-chromosome inactivation—a process meant to silence one copy of the X chromosome, an evolutionary necessity for life—may lead to immune system overactivity. In simpler terms: more immune-related gene expression may increase the risk of the system misfiring.

“While genetics clearly plays a role in autoimmune susceptibility, most researchers now estimate that the environment accounts for roughly 70% or more of autoimmune risk. When I talk about environment, I mean it broadly—diet, the health of your gut microbiome, chronic stress, sleep quality, toxic exposures like endocrine disruptors, and physical activity. These aren’t just lifestyle factors; they’re signals that tell your genes what to do,” explains integrative medical doctor Dana Cohen, M.D. 

For example, we know that chronic stress can harm the immune system and cause inflammation, making it another risk factor for many things, including autoimmune diseases. While both men and women experience psychological stress, the effect it has on the brain is different—some research3 suggests the different responses have to do with testosterone, which can buffer the negative effects of stress on mental health.

Even so, women also tend to face certain stressors in their personal and professional lives that men just don't. In fact, women consistently report higher levels of chronic stress than men, with insights from the American Psychological Association showing women are more likely to say they feel overwhelmed by stress on a daily basis—an important consideration given the well-established link between chronic stress, inflammation, and immune dysregulation.

Estrogen, progesterone, and androgens all interact with the immune system. Estrogen, in particular, tends to enhance immune activity. Often considered an evolutionary advantage of women, it’s one reason why research consistently shows that women tend to have more effective immune systems4, especially during pregnancy and postpartum. 

But may also increase susceptibility to autoimmune conditions. Many autoimmune disorders (like MS and lupus) are driven by estrogen, board-certified regenerative medicine doctor Seema Bonney, M.D. previously explained to us. 

“ I think one of the biggest challenges is that women are taught to put everyone else's needs above our own. To be selfless, that's considered a good thing and a health challenge demands that you put your oxygen mask on yourself first just to feel okay,” says Kurtz.  

In an ideal health care system, women would receive the care, respect, and support they need. That is not the case for many, if not all, women who have to navigate the autoimmune diagnosis and treatment process. On average it takes almost 5 years to receive an autoimmune diagnosis. That's a long time to be without answers. 

“One of the problems with being stuck in this gray zone in a black-and-white medical system is that a lot of the time it can feel like you are in the land of the lost, and you're constantly being invalidated, not given enough time, and being gaslit, and over time that behavior can make you question yourself,” she says. 

It’s true: 70% of women experience medical gaslighting, which is only more severe for women of color. 

The constant questioning often leads to what Kurtz calls “broken trust” in your body. This perception-shifting phenomenon that actually bears out in research, too: Research shows that medical gaslighting can lead to delayed diagnosis for the patient, dismissed and ignored symptoms, doubt of their own experiences, and even questioning of their sanity.  

And until there are systemic changes, unfortunately, the only way to make a difference in your own care is to get unabashedly self-centered. “If you are going to be an empowered patient, it is literally essential to have agency and to not accept bad behavior,” she says. 

Kurtz notes to look out for subtle cues you’re not being taken seriously, like feeling rushed, little to no eye contact, lack of empathy, defensiveness, or an immediate pivot to “anxiety” without considering other causes. These may be signs you’ve not found the right partner on your health care journey. “ If somebody isn't treating you well, feel free to fire and move on,” she adds. 

So what does being an empowered patient look like in practice? Tracking symptoms over time, bringing a written list of concerns, getting direct lines of communication so you can ask follow-up questions you may not have thought of in the moment, and requesting copies of labs and notes after the fact. It also means seeking second opinions when something doesn’t feel right, and building a care team that looks beyond a single organ system to the full picture of your health.

Autoimmune diseases are notoriously difficult to diagnose, but gender bias compounds the issue. Many women spend years seeking a diagnosis, often being told their symptoms are stress-related. Symptoms like fatigue and pain are also more likely to be dismissed in women, delaying care.

Autoimmune disease is a life-defining health challenge for women, one that fundamentally shapes careers, families, finances, and long-term well-being.

Science is evolving. We’re beginning to better understand the biological drivers, from X chromosome activity to hormonal shifts, and there are early signs of more advanced therapies on the horizon8. But for most women living with these conditions today, the experience is still defined by delayed diagnoses, fragmented care, and the burden of having to fight to be believed. That's the real crisis.

Progress will require more than medical breakthroughs. It means earlier detection, more inclusive research, better care models, and a system that takes women’s symptoms seriously the first time they speak up. It also means recognizing autoimmune disease not just as a collection of conditions—but as a public health issue with wide-reaching social and economic consequences.