Self-Reported Psychological, Somatic, and Vasomotor Symptoms at Different Stages of the Menopause for Autistic and Non-autistic People
Rebecca A. Charlton, Francesca Happé, Alanna J. Shand, William Mandy, Gavin R. Stewart
Abstract
Background:There is growing awareness that the experiences of neurodivergent people during menopause are not well understood. Menopause may be particularly challenging for autistic people due to common co-occurring conditions such as depression and differences in sensory processing. The few (mostly qualitative) studies to explore autism and menopause suggest that autistic traits may be exacerbated. Methods:In an online cross-sectional survey, we examined self-reported menopause symptoms of 342 people (autistic, n = 242 and non-autistic, n = 100) at different stages of their reproductive life (premenopausal [∼20% of sample], menopausal [∼30%], postmenopausal [∼50%]). Results:Autistic people reported significantly higher rates of bothersome psychological and somatic menopause symptoms than non-autistic people, but no differences were observed for vasomotor symptoms. Results indicated different patterns of psychological, somatic, and vasomotor symptoms between the autistic and non-autistic groups. People in the menopause and postmenopause groups reported negative changes in symptoms, but non-autistic women reported these as more negative than autistic women. Whether this finding is related to the observation that autistic people report more bothersome psychological and somatic symptoms before the menopause requires further investigation. Conclusion:This cross-sectional analysis suggests that autistic people may experience more bothersome symptoms during menopause compared with non-autistic people. Longitudinal studies examining change are required to fully understand the variables that impact individual experiences for autistic people.