Abriendo caminos: una revisión para develar la sexualidad en el autismo
Resumen
La conducta sexual se asocia a una base neural que involucra múltiples áreas de la corteza cerebral y estructuras subcorticales, muchas de las cuales están alteradas en personas con autismo. Las alteraciones neurobiológicas en el autismo dificultan la comprensión de normas sociales, lo que puede llevar a comportamientos sexuales inapropiados como la masturbación pública o el contacto no consensuado. En cuanto a la capacidad reproductiva, las mujeres con autismo de alto funcionamiento son fisiológicamente capaces de concebir, aunque el embarazo presenta retos significativos, incluyendo un aumento en el estrés y un mayor riesgo de complicaciones obstétricas, tales como partos prematuros y la necesidad de intervenciones quirúrgicas, como la cesárea. Estos factores sugieren la necesidad de un enfoque de atención prenatal adaptado a las necesidades de esta población. Otro aspecto crucial es la orientación sexual de las personas con autismo, donde se observa una diversidad significativamente mayor en comparación con la población neurotípica, así como una inversión en la proporción de orientaciones sexuales: alrededor del 30% de individuos con autismo se identifica como heterosexual, mientras que el 70% reporta orientaciones dentro del espectro LGTB+. A pesar de que las personas con autismo tienden a establecer relaciones afectivas con menor frecuencia en comparación con las neurotípicas, aquellas que lo hacen reportan un alto grado de satisfacción, destacando la complejidad de la experiencia de pareja en personas con autismo. Este panorama subraya la urgencia de desarrollar programas de educación sexual inclusivos y específicamente diseñados para abordar las particularidades de la población con autismo.
Abstract
Sexual behavior is associated with a neural base that involves multiple areas of the cerebral cortex and subcortical structures, many of which are altered in individuals with autism. These neurobiological alterations contribute to the multiple challenges these individuals face in their sexuality. Inappropriate sexual behaviors such as public masturbation and non-consensual physical contact prevail, reflecting problems in understanding social norms. Regarding reproductive capacity, women with high-functioning autism could conceive, but pregnancy presents significant challenges, including increased stress and obstetric complications such as premature births and cesarean sections, suggesting the need for a specific prenatal care approach for this population. A crucial aspect of sexuality in autism is sexual orientation. There is greater diversity among individuals with autism compared to the neurotypical population, with a notable inversion in the proportion of sexual orientations: about 30% of individuals with autism identify as heterosexual, while 70% report orientations within the LGBT spectrum. Although these individuals have a lower frequency of affective relationships compared to neurotypicals, those who are in relationships report high satisfaction, highlighting the complexity of the relationship experience in people with autism. This landscape underscores the importance of developing sexual education programs that are inclusive and specifically designed to address the particularities of the autism population.
Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; ASD; pregnancy; sexual orientation; sexuality.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.25009/eb.v15i39.2635
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