Science Friday Autism Rates Appear To Be Even Across Sexes. Diagnosis Is Not
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Feb 21, 2026 Dr. Caroline Fyfe, an epidemiologist who studied autism diagnoses across Sweden, and Dr. Rachel Moseley, a psychology researcher and autistic woman, discuss how prevalence appears even across sexes but diagnoses often come later for people assigned female at birth. They explore shifting diagnosis patterns by age, how male-focused criteria miss many people, and the personal and societal impacts of late or missed identification.
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Prevalence Is Equal But Timing Differs
- Caroline Fyfe's study shows autism prevalence is roughly equal across sexes when adulthood is included.
- Girls are often diagnosed much later, causing an apparent childhood male bias.
Childhood Ratio Masks Later Parity
- The sex ratio in diagnosed children under 10 stayed around 2.5–4 boys per girl over time.
- By age 20 the ratio approaches parity as more females are diagnosed in adolescence.
Diagnostic Criteria Are Male-Biased
- Diagnostic criteria and research historically focused on male presentations of autism.
- That male-focused perspective likely shaped how clinicians identify autism and contributed to missed female diagnoses.