The widely cited figure as of 5 or so years ago was that about 1 in 43 boys were autistic, vs. about 1/4 that rate in girls. More recently I think there was a realization that the real rates were about equal between genders, but the symptoms were different, so girls were massively underdiagnosed. That would explain more diagnoses of girls and women now.
The problems is that autism is a syndrome, meaning it is purely defined by symptoms. I am pretty sure the redefining of ASD in the DSM 5 had a far greater impact.
The widely cited figure as of 5 or so years ago was that about 1 in 43 boys were autistic, vs. about 1/4 that rate in girls. More recently I think there was a realization that the real rates were about equal between genders, but the symptoms were different, so girls were massively underdiagnosed. That would explain more diagnoses of girls and women now.
The problems is that autism is a syndrome, meaning it is purely defined by symptoms. I am pretty sure the redefining of ASD in the DSM 5 had a far greater impact.