A major new population study from Sweden is challenging one of the longest-held assumptions about autism: that it is predominantly a condition affecting boys and men.
Researchers from the Karolinska Institutet, in a study published in BMJ, found that by early adulthood the rate of autism diagnosis in women is almost the same as in men.
This is a significant shift from the traditional view that autism affects around four males for every one female — a ratio that has shaped clinical practice, research, and public understanding for decades.
What did the study find?
The researchers analysed data from over 2.7 million people born in Sweden between 1985 and 2000, tracking autism diagnoses up to 2022. Key findings included:
2.8% of the population received a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Autism diagnoses in girls rose sharply during adolescence
By around age 20, the male-to-female diagnosis ratio had levelled out to nearly 1:1
Differences between men and women in diagnosis rates became far less apparent in adulthood
In short: autism in women may not be rarer — it may simply be identified later.
Why are girls and women diagnosed later?
The study highlights a growing consensus among clinicians: autism in girls often presents differently.
Girls and women may:
Mask or camouflage autistic traits more effectively
Develop coping strategies that delay recognition
Present with anxiety, depression, or eating disorders first
Be misdiagnosed or overlooked in childhood services
Fall outside outdated, male-centric diagnostic stereotypes
This means many women only receive a diagnosis in their teens, twenties, or even later — often after years of feeling misunderstood or unsupported.
What this means for autism services in the UK
At Seven Care Services, this research strongly reflects what we see in practice.
We increasingly support:
Adolescent girls referred later than boys
Young women seeking assessment after mental health challenges
Families who were previously told their child “didn’t fit the profile”
Adults reassessing lifelong difficulties through a neurodiversity lens
The findings reinforce the importance of:
Gender-sensitive autism assessments
Clinicians trained to recognise female presentations of autism
Listening to lived experience, not just observable behaviour
Avoiding assumptions based on age or gender
A call for earlier recognition and better pathways
The authors of the study emphasise the need to understand why girls and women are diagnosed later — and how systems can respond more effectively.
From our perspective, this includes:
Better training for professionals across health, education, and social care
Clearer referral pathways for adolescents and adults
Reducing stigma around late diagnosis
Providing post-diagnostic support tailored to women and girls
Looking ahead
This research marks an important step forward in how autism is understood globally. It challenges outdated narratives and encourages services to evolve in line with evidence — not assumptions.
At Seven Care Services, we welcome studies like this because they help ensure that no one is missed, dismissed, or diagnosed too late to make a difference.
If you are a parent, professional, or individual considering an autism assessment — particularly for a girl or woman — this research is a powerful reminder that autism does not have a single look, age, or gender.
Seven Care Services provides high-quality, evidence-based autism assessments and specialist support across the UK, with a strong focus on inclusion, clinical excellence, and person-centred care.
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