Autistic people face harsher menopause symptoms, Bournemouth study finds
By Vikram JoshiLife Balance Correspondent, Peepals Shakti
Representative image: DarkoStojanovic / Pixabay
A Bournemouth University study of about 900 people, out October 27, 2026, found autistic participants had worse menopause symptoms and lower wellbeing.
What Happened
Autistic people go through more severe menopause symptoms than non-autistic people, and also report more anxiety, more depression and a lower quality of life, according to a study by researchers at Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom, made public on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. The university describes it as the largest study so far to compare self-reported menopause symptoms between the two groups. The work, led by PhD researcher Eunhee Kim, followed just over 900 participants, most of them cisgender women, for five weeks and is published in the journal Autism in Adulthood.
Key Facts
- Who: researchers at Bournemouth University, UK, led by PhD researcher Eunhee Kim.
- Size: just over 900 participants, mostly cisgender women, both autistic and non-autistic.
- Method: participants recorded their menopause symptoms and their wellbeing over a period of five weeks.
- Main finding: autistic participants reported more severe symptoms throughout the study period.
- Mental health: autistic participants reported higher anxiety and depression and lower quality of life, and these were linked to how severe their symptoms were.
- Physical health: autistic participants were nearly twice as likely to report one or more heart and blood-vessel (cardiovascular) conditions, and more than four times as likely to report muscle, bone and joint (musculoskeletal) conditions, including hypermobility.
- Possible driver: feeling out of control, and finding it hard to make sense of changes in the body and mind, appeared to predict more severe symptoms.
- Funding: the PhD research was funded by Henpicked/Menopause in the Workplace, an organisation that works on menopause at work.
Why It Matters
Menopause is the point at which periods stop for good, and the years around it can bring physical and emotional changes that affect work, sleep and relationships. The Bournemouth findings suggest that a group of women who are often overlooked, autistic women, may face a much harder passage through the same stage of life.
Autism is a lifelong difference in how a person communicates, processes the senses and experiences the world. Earlier, smaller studies, including a 2020 Bournemouth focus group of seven autistic women and a 2025 Goldsmiths interview study of 15 autistic and 14 non-autistic adults, had described menopause as a time when sensory, emotional and social difficulties grow sharper. The new study adds numbers from a much larger group followed over several weeks.
The link the researchers drew between symptoms and the feeling of losing control is useful for anyone supporting a woman through menopause. According to Kim, menopause can worsen mental and physical health conditions a person already has, which may make the transition harder for autistic people. That points to clear information about what is happening in the body as one practical form of support.
For women in India, the study is a reminder that menopause is still discussed too little at home, at work and in clinics, and that women with additional needs can fall through the gaps. It does not offer a treatment, and it should not be read as advice for any individual: anyone with severe symptoms should speak to a qualified doctor.
| Group | What the study found |
|---|---|
| Autistic participants | More severe menopause symptoms over five weeks |
| Autistic participants | Higher anxiety and depression, lower quality of life |
| Cardiovascular conditions | Nearly twice as likely to be reported by autistic participants |
| Musculoskeletal conditions | More than four times as likely to be reported by autistic participants |
Impact
Short-term: The findings give doctors, menopause clinics and employers' health programmes a reason to ask whether a patient or staff member is autistic, and to explain changes in plain, step-by-step terms.
Long-term: If later studies confirm the results, menopause guidelines may add specific advice for autistic women, and workplace menopause policies may widen to cover sensory and communication needs.
Who is affected: Autistic women in or approaching menopause, their families and partners, general practitioners and gynaecologists, and employers that run menopause support at work.
The study has limits. The symptoms were reported by participants themselves rather than measured by clinicians, most participants were cisgender women in one study, and a link between two things does not prove that one causes the other.
Key Takeaway
A Bournemouth University study of just over 900 people, reported on October 27, 2026, found that autistic participants had more severe menopause symptoms, more anxiety and depression, and a lower quality of life than non-autistic participants.
Questions and Answers
What did the Bournemouth University menopause study find about autistic people?
It found that autistic participants reported more severe menopause symptoms over five weeks than non-autistic participants, along with higher anxiety and depression and a lower quality of life, which were linked to how severe their symptoms were.
How large was the study and who took part?
Just over 900 people took part, most of them cisgender women, and they recorded their symptoms and wellbeing over five weeks. The university describes it as the largest study of its kind so far.
Did autistic participants report other health problems?
Yes. They were nearly twice as likely to report one or more cardiovascular conditions and more than four times as likely to report musculoskeletal conditions, including hypermobility.
Does this study mean autistic women need a specific menopause treatment?
No. The study describes self-reported symptoms and does not test any treatment. It suggests that clearer information and better-tailored support may help, and anyone with severe symptoms should consult a qualified doctor.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Vikram Joshi, Life Balance CorrespondentCovers Life Balance and more for Peepals Shakti. All stories by Vikram Joshi
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Vikram Joshi is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
