Lupus In Women: What You Need To Know

Lupus is a lifelong autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to mistakenly attack healthy tissues and organs. It can feel overwhelming at first, but with the right care, many women continue to live healthy, active lives. While there’s no cure for lupus, treatments can help.

Knowing how lupus might affect you — and recognizing the signs early — can empower you to stay in control of your health.

Why Is Lupus More Common In Women?

About 9 out of 10 adults diagnosed with lupus are women, most between ages 15 and 44. Hormones likely play a role. Higher levels of estrogen during a woman’s reproductive years may affect how the immune system works.

“Lupus is a chronic disorder caused by inflammation,” said Gina Saylor, NP, with Franciscan Health Rheumatology & Osteoporosis Specialists. “We don’t quite know why lupus affects women so much more than men, but we do believe there is a hormonal component.”

Many women first notice symptoms during hormonal changes like puberty, pregnancy or starting birth control.

Lupus Causes And Risk Factors

The exact cause of lupus is unknown, but several factors increase risk:

• Environment – sunlight, infections and stress can contribute
• Genetics – a family history raises your chances
• Hormones – estrogen may trigger immune responses
• Medications – certain drugs can cause lupus-like symptoms

Lupus risk in black women

Black women are up to three times more likely to develop lupus than white women. Lupus also tends to appear earlier and more severely in women of color, including Hispanic, Asian and Native American women.

“Relatives of people with lupus have between a 5 and 12 percent chance of developing lupus,” Saylor said.

Lupus Symptoms In Women

Lupus doesn’t always announce itself clearly. For some women, symptoms appear suddenly. For others, they develop slowly and can be easy to overlook or confuse with something else. But certain signs are common and easy to spot — and recognizing them can help you find lupus early. Many women notice symptoms like:

• Feeling unusually tired, no matter how much rest they get
• Achy or swollen joints that don’t seem to improve
• A distinctive butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose

“Commonly, the symptoms people first notice are fatigue and joint pain, followed by sensitivity to light — even fluorescent light — which is surprising to many people,” Saylor said. Some may also notice that their fingers change color to white or blue — due to poor oxygen flow to the fingers — when they’re particularly cold or stressed.

Lupus symptoms are different for each person and they can come and go. These episodes, called flares, can be mild to severe. If the symptoms sound familiar, it’s important to listen to your body and talk with your doctor. Early awareness can make a big difference.

Systemic lupus symptoms

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most common type of lupus. SLE can affect joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs and more. Symptoms include:

• Chest pain when breathing deeply
• Fever
• Hair loss
• Joint pain or swelling
• Memory problems
• Mouth sores
• Shortness of breath
• Skin rashes

Lupus symptoms in women over 50

While lupus usually appears earlier in life, women over 50 can develop it. Symptoms may be milder in women over 50 but can include joint stiffness, dry eyes, and an increased risk of osteoporosis or heart disease.

How Is Lupus Diagnosed?

Lupus can be hard to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to other conditions. There’s no single test for lupus, but doctors use a combination of medical history, physical exams and lab tests.

Blood tests like the antinuclear antibody (ANA) test help identify lupus. Your doctor may also order urine tests or imaging to check for organ involvement. Sometimes, a skin or kidney biopsy confirms the diagnosis.

Lupus And Gynecological Problems

Lupus can impact reproductive health in several ways. Here’s how it may affect women at different stages:

• Fibroids and lupus – While there’s no direct link, managing fibroids alongside lupus requires coordinated care to avoid complications.
• Lupus and menopause – Hormonal changes can reduce flares for some women, but others may face increased joint pain or higher osteoporosis risk.
• Lupus and PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) – Hormonal imbalances from PCOS may make lupus symptoms harder to manage when both conditions occur together.
• Menstrual periods and lupus – Flares or medications like corticosteroids can cause irregular or missed periods.
• Pregnancy complications – Pregnant women with lupus face a higher risk of certain complications, including a greater risk of premature birth.

Lupus Treatments

While there’s no cure for lupus, the good news is that we can manage it. The right treatment plan can ease symptoms, reduce flares and protect your organs from long-term damage. Every person’s treatment is different, but care often includes:

• Anti-inflammatory drugs for joint pain
• Corticosteroids for severe flares
• Immunosuppressants like hydroxychloroquine
• Lifestyle changes, such as avoiding sun exposure and managing stress

If you have mild lupus symptoms, you may be able to control your condition with lifestyle changes. For example, you can limit time in the sun, get adequate exercise and avoid certain foods that can trigger flares.

If you have severe lupus symptoms, your doctor may prescribe medications such as corticosteroids to reduce joint pain and inflammation.

“Hydroxychloroquine is a drug that we like to keep our lupus patients on for several reasons. It helps with fatigue,” Saylor said. “It helps with joint pain and joint swelling. And it has a protective effect against kidney disease.”

Life expectancy and prognosis

A lupus diagnosis doesn’t mean you can’t live a long, fulfilling life. With early diagnosis and treatment, most women manage their symptoms and enjoy a normal life expectancy. Especially because the advances in care help women live well with lupus.

“Lupus is treatable. We have very good treatments,” Saylor said. “And we help the majority of patients with lupus lead productive, healthy lives.”

Talk to your doctor if you notice symptoms like unexplained fatigue, joint pain or skin rashes. Early care helps you stay ahead of lupus and live your life to the fullest.