Autism Diagnoses Are Rising In Women — But Not In Men, New Research Finds
You can go through much of your life feeling like certain things take more effort than they seem to for everyone else.
Maybe crowded places leave you completely drained, social plans require a recovery period, or you find yourself rehearsing conversations before they happen. For some women, an autism diagnosis later in life can help connect those dots.
That experience may be becoming easier to recognize. In new research1 tracking more than 171,000 people, scientists looked at how autism diagnoses changed over nine years, and found a notable shift in who was receiving them.
About the study
Researchers analyzed electronic health records from 171,134 people who received regular care within a large U.S. health care system between 2016 and 2024. They looked at newly recorded autism diagnoses among children, adolescents, and adults, then compared the patterns between males and females.
For years, autism has been diagnosed more often in males.
A commonly cited figure is a roughly four-to-one male-to-female diagnosis ratio.
But researchers have increasingly questioned whether that gap reflects a true difference in how common autism is, or whether some autistic girls and women are simply less likely to be recognized.
One reason may be that autism doesn't always look the way people expect, particularly in females. The researchers wanted to see how these diagnosis patterns were changing over time.
Female diagnoses took off after 2020
The difference between males and females became especially clear after 2020.
Among males, the rate of new autism diagnoses remained stable or declined during the study period. Among females, it increased significantly after 2020, rising by 19% per year from 2020 through 2024. Female diagnoses nearly doubled overall, from 284 new diagnoses in 2016 to 513 in 2024.
The pattern was especially clear among younger people. Diagnoses among female children increased by 17.4% per year after 2020, while diagnoses among adolescent females increased by 22.3% annually during the same period.
There was also a difference in when people received a diagnosis.
Females were diagnosed at an average age of 15.7 years, compared with 12.3 years for males, a gap of about 3.4 years.
The researchers say this pattern suggests the four-to-one diagnosis ratio may overstate the difference between males and females. The actual ratio could be closer to three-to-one, or potentially lower.
Why autism may be missed in women
One possible explanation is camouflaging, a term used to describe hiding autistic traits or consciously copying social behaviors to fit in.
That might look like studying how other people interact, rehearsing conversations, forcing eye contact, or pushing through sensory discomfort without telling anyone.
Someone can appear comfortable socially while putting in considerable effort behind the scenes.
Girls and women may also be more likely to maintain friendships or actively seek social connection, which can make autism less obvious if a clinician is looking for a more stereotypical presentation.
Those strategies can become harder to maintain as life gets more demanding. Work, relationships, parenting, and other responsibilities can add social and sensory demands that were easier to manage earlier in life.
The researchers also point out that some women are diagnosed with anxiety, ADHD, or depression before autism. This study didn't examine those overlapping diagnoses, so it's still unclear how much they may influence when someone receives an autism diagnosis.
What to do if you're questioning your own experience
If you're wondering whether autism could explain some patterns you've noticed throughout your life, you don't have to fit a stereotype to explore the possibility.
- Look for lifelong patterns: Think about sensory sensitivities, social interactions, communication, routines, and how much energy certain situations require. One trait alone doesn't indicate autism, but a consistent pattern can be worth discussing with a professional.
- Consider an evaluation: A psychologist, psychiatrist, or other qualified clinician who has experience assessing autism in adults can help determine whether an assessment makes sense. A diagnosis can provide clarity and, when appropriate, open the door to support and accommodations.
The takeaway
The rise in newly recorded autism diagnoses among females, particularly after 2020, points to changing recognition rather than a simple increase in autism across the population.
Women also continue to receive diagnoses later than men, which is why a broader understanding of how autism can present matters.