This is a position paper from a European research group focused on female ADHD. It does not report a new study. Instead it pulls together published research and survey responses from women who say they have ADHD, and it lists where more research is needed.
The authors say hormone changes across a woman's life seem to worsen ADHD symptoms and mood, and that research on medicines and tailored treatment is thin. They also say executive function problems, things like planning and focus, show up differently in girls and women, and that diagnosis is often delayed. Women diagnosed late may face higher risk of certain mood conditions and of heart disease around perimenopause.
The picture in pregnancy was mixed in the survey data. Some women reported sharper focus, more drive, better organisation and better sleep (20%). Close to half noticed no change (44%), which the authors suggest may be because nearly all had stopped stimulant medication (98%). The rest reported worse symptoms, such as exhaustion, poor memory and emotional sensitivity (36%).
One cited study of 209 women with a clinical ADHD diagnosis reported more premenstrual low mood (45% versus 28% in the general population) and about three times more postpartum depression symptoms (58% versus 19%). No new participants were recruited for this paper.
Source: Kooij J, de Jong M, Agnew-Blais J, et al.. Research advances and future directions in female ADHD: the lifelong interplay of hormonal fluctuations with mood, cognition, and disease. Frontiers in Global Women's Health (2025). doi:10.3389/fgwh.2025.1613628