Female Autism Diagnoses Rose Sharply After 2020 Across Ages While Male Rates Stabilized, EHR Study Shows
Observational EHR data indicate rising female ASD diagnoses post-2020 reflect greater recognition rather than uniform incidence increase. Trends match broader surveillance patterns but leave open questions about true prevalence and service access. Future studies must track clinical outcomes after identification.
Next steps require prospective cohort studies with standardized instruments across sexes and linkage to educational or service utilization data to test whether earlier female identification improves functional outcomes by adolescence. Health systems should audit referral pathways for persistent sex bias.
Messias et al.: Female share of new ASD diagnoses will reach 45% of total by 2029 in similar US systems, narrowing the historical 4:1 male ratio by at least 25%.
Sources (3)
- [1]Primary Source(https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.24561)
- [2]Supporting Source(https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html)
- [3]Supporting Source(https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(23)00045-7/fulltext)