Overview

• Swansea University’s mixed-methods systematic review, published in Autism in Adulthood, pooled eight studies and first-hand accounts to examine experiences during the menopause transition.
• Many participants did not initially recognize what was happening and reported intensified sensory sensitivities, severe fatigue, cognitive and mood changes, and more frequent or extreme meltdowns.
• Two studies found worse symptom burden than in non-autistic peers, with reported effects on work, relationships, and self-image.
• Most accounts described negative interactions with health professionals, low discussion or uptake of HRT, and a reliance on online forums and peer support for information and coping.
• The review highlights urgent needs for co-produced information, evaluated peer-support models, and targeted clinician training, and it flags research gaps on underserved groups, urogenital symptoms, and HRT effectiveness.