Many women would happily give a kidney to their spouse. Men, not so much, research shows
Wives are five times more likely than husbands to donate a kidney to their spouse if clinically suitable
Women are statistically far more likely to donate a kidney to a spouse or other partner than receive one, according to a study released Thursday to coincide with World Kidney Day and International Women’s Day.
Based on European data assessed, 36 per cent of women donate a kidney to their husband in clinically suitable cases.
That compares with just seven per cent of clinically suitable men donating a kidney to their spouse, said the study by the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations.
The evidence suggests women are motivated by reasons such as altruism and the desire to help their family continue to survive
It highlights how women are also liable to suffer from the most serious stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) as they tend to live longer than male sufferers and take longer to reach a stage requiring a transplant.
“Although it is hard to pinpoint a specific reason for higher numbers of wives being donors than husbands, the evidence suggests women are motivated by reasons such as altruism and the desire to help their family continue to survive,” said Adeera Levin, a Professor of Medicine at Canada’s University of British Columbia.
The study data shows some two thirds of kidney transplant recipients are men although the gender difference was less pronounced for donations by deceased men and women.
Worldwide, the study found 14 per cent of women suffer from CKD compared with 12 per cent of men.