KOCHI: Women not only bring life into the world, but they also help sustain it. According to the data from Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (K-SOTTO), women constitute 64% and 63% of live kidney and liver donors, respectively, in Kerala, while a majority of the recipients are men. Though there is a higher incidence of liver and kidney diseases among men, financial and social pressure also contribute to the disparity, say experts.
As per a research conducted by the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation (ISOT) between 2013 and 2019, women constituted 78% of live organ donors in India, while their share among recipients was only 19%. The study said while males constitute a greater percentage of cadaver donors, a staggering 93% of total organ donations in the country are from live donors.
Dr S Sudhindran, chief transplant surgeon, department of gastrointestinal surgery and solid organ transplantation at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, said a majority of the recipients are male due to higher incidence of diseases like cirrhosis among them. Also, more women are donating organs probably because of societal pressure, he said.
“A majority of women donors are spouses. When the husband faces a problem, all eyes fall on the wife. There is a lot of pressure. The majority of the female donors are non-working women who depend on their husbands to look after the family,” Dr Sudhindran said.
Women less susceptible to end-stage organ failure: Doctor
Dr Noble Gracious S S, executive director and member-secretary of K-SOTTO, said the trend cannot be equated with gender inequality. “People tend to consider this gender bias. As men are the breadwinners of the family, the possibility of women donating organs is high. However, it is not the sole reason. There are several factors behind this,” said Dr Noble. “Even when considering the number of kidney patients, approximately 55% to 60% are male, while 40% to 45% are women. Hence, it’s expected that a majority of organ recipients are males,” he said.
Women are less susceptible to end-stage organ failure, said Dr Venugopal B, senior consultant in gastrointestinal surgery and liver transplantation at Lisie Hospital in Kochi. According to him, liver and kidney diseases predominantly impact men.
“In cases where a husband requires a kidney or liver transplant, wives often step forward as donors,” he said. Dr Venugopal further noted that women are often identified as suitable donors in the context of paediatric organ donation, with mothers frequently donating organs to their children.
In a study titled ‘India: Gender Disparities in Organ Donation and Transplantation’, researchers highlight that gender disparity in organ transplantation poses a universal challenge, affecting various stages of the transplant process, including listing, wait times, and outcomes. The global proportion of female live donors is higher overall, with notable exceptions observed in the Philippines and Hong Kong.