--- title: Do autistic women experience menstruation differently from non-autistic women? description: Yes. Autistic women reported that menstruation made autistic challenges worse, especially sensory sensitivity and difficulty controlling emotions and behavior url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/life-is-much-more-difficult-to-manage-during-periods-autistic-experiences-of-2018/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do autistic women experience menstruation differently from non-autistic women? Survey study, 2018 # Do autistic women experience menstruation differently from non-autistic women? Yes. Autistic women reported that menstruation made autistic challenges worse, especially sensory sensitivity and difficulty controlling emotions and behavior. This seriously affected their lives. Early or limited evidence 123 autistic women and 114 non-autistic women ## What they did 123 autistic and 114 non-autistic women filled out an online survey about menstrual experiences. Researchers compared what the two groups reported. ## What they found While both groups reported some similar menstrual challenges, autistic women specifically reported that menstruation amplified sensory sensitivities and made emotion and behavior control harder. This cyclical worsening had a significant negative impact on daily life. ## What it means for you Autistic women may need different support during menstruation because menstruation makes autistic challenges worse. More research is needed to understand and help autistic women manage their cycles. 123 autistic women 114 non-autistic women ## About the study Original title "Life is Much More Difficult to Manage During Periods": Autistic Experiences of Menstruation Authors Steward R, Crane L, Mairi Roy E et al. Journal Journal of autism and developmental disorders Year 2018 Study design Survey study Participants 123 What was tested None Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3664-0](https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3664-0) Original abstract Although menarche and menstruation are perceived to be overwhelmingly negative events for developmentally-disabled women, women's health issues remain under-researched in autism. Here, we conducted a preliminary investigation of the experiences of post-menarcheal autistic (n = 123) and non-autistic (n = 114) respondents to a brief online survey. Although autistic respondents reported many overlapping issues and experiences with non-autistic respondents, they also highlighted distinct-and sometimes-distressing-issues relating to menstruation, especially a cyclical amplification of autistic-related challenges, including sensory differences and difficulties with regulating emotion and behavior, which had a significant, negative impact on their lives. These initial findings call for systematic research on the potential causes, correlates and consequences of menstrual-related problems in autistic individuals-across the spectrum and the lifespan. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Autism](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-autism/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Study, 2010 What gynecologic problems do girls with Down syndrome, autism, and cerebral palsy experience? Randomised trial, 2026 Does aerobic or resistance exercise reduce anxiety in women with PMS? Randomised trial, 2025 Does mood, well-being, and sexual function change across the menstrual cycle? Cohort study, 2025 How common is PMS in Chinese teenage girls, and what factors are linked to it? Systematic review, 2025 Does alcohol use affect menstrual health in teenage girls? Cohort study, 2023 Are PMS symptoms linked to genetic factors for psychiatric disorders? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗