The transition to menopause for autistic individuals in the US: a qualitative study of health care challenges and support needs

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.

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Cusano, J. L., Erwin, V., Miller, D., & Rothman, E. F. (2025). The transition to menopause for autistic individuals in the US: a qualitative study of health care challenges and support needs. Menopause, 32(6), 505-512. https://doi.org/10.1097/gme.0000000000002520

Publication date: 25 Feb 2025 Added to AutiHub: 24 Aug 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
4
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 4 (25.0%)
  1. Julia L. Cusano
  2. Val Erwin
  3. Debra Miller *
  4. Emily F. Rothman

Abstract

Objective: The goal of the current study was to better understand autistic people's experiences with the menopause transition, by focusing on their symptoms, healthcare interactions, and receipt of informal support. Methods: This was a qualitative research study. We conducted one-on-one videotelephone interviews with 21 autistic adults who had experienced, or were currently experiencing, perimenopause in the United States. Data were coded by two independent coders. We used a thematic analysis approach. Results: The analysts derived several overarching themes related to perimenopausal symptoms, barriers to healthcare, and informal support networks. Participants reported increased sensory sensitivities during perimenopause and reported that these severely impacted their quality of life. These sensory sensitivities also compounded vasomotor symptoms of perimenopause causing an extreme and overwhelming confluence of symptoms and difficulties. Despite this, many participants felt that their healthcare providers supported them insufficiently. Participants felt unprepared for the intensification of sensory sensitivities during the menopause transition due to a lack of information about perimenopause from healthcare providers and because their social support network members lacked information about perimenopause. Conclusions: Autistic people face unique challenges during the menopause transition, which may include managing sensory sensitivities and navigating healthcare systems. Results highlight the need for education about menopause earlier in life for autistic people. Findings further demonstrate the need for holistic approaches to perimenopausal symptom management and better training for providers on the unique needs of perimenopausal autistic people.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 12 Sep 2026 18:16.

Cited references
38
With a DOI
36
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
1
6 / 38 (15.8%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
1 / 38 (2.6%)
References with detected author names
37 / 38 (97.4%)
Without detected author names
1
Without a structured title
0
Without a stable identifier
1
References with raw author names still to review
0
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
177
From DOI or external metadata
177
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
54 / 177 (30.5%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 123 / 177 (69.5%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
15 / 177 (8.5%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 15 / 54 (27.8%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 13 / 169 (7.7%).
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