Women More Susceptible to Autoimmune Diseases Than Men, Here's Why Experts Say

Autoimmune diseases affect around 8 percent of the world’s population and have a serious impact on the quality of life of those affected. In these conditions, the immune system malfunctions and attacks the body’s own tissues, causing a range of long-term disorders.

Dr Ankush PM, a rheumatology consultant, notes that some of the most common autoimmune diseases include Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) or lupus, and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is a chronic autoimmune condition that gradually damages the metabolic function of the thyroid gland and is one of the main causes of hypothyroidism in women, with a female-to-male incidence ratio of about 10 to 1.

Meanwhile, lupus can affect various organs such as the skin, kidneys, and nervous system. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system attacks the synovial lining of joints, which can lead to chronic pain and even deformity.

“Autoimmune diseases are more common in women than in men. Many women do not realise the severity of autoimmune disease from the early symptoms, so diagnosis is often late,” Dr Ankush said, quoted by Hindustan Times on Tuesday (19 May 2026).

Dr Ankush explained that the high incidence of autoimmune cases in women is influenced by several key factors, principally the hormone oestrogen. Oestrogen is known to increase immune system activity, so women tend to be stronger at fighting infections compared with men.

However, high levels of oestrogen can also make the immune system overactive. When this occurs excessively, the body risks attacking its own healthy tissues.