KUALA LUMPUR,MALAYSIA: There are more women compared to men who
are donating kidneys to their spouses.
Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), which started spousal
transplant in 1998 found that from the 20 such cases performed so
far, 16 women gave their kidneys to husbands.
Prof Dr Tan Si-Yen, UMMC renal unit head, said the trend was the
same throughout the world where the ratio of a wife donating their
organ to the husband was about two to one.
He said among the reasons for this trend were because men still
played a dominant role in society where women were expected to give
and the husband was the sole bread winner in the family.
Clinically, Dr Tan said the husband was usually older than the
wife and an older donor was considered less suitable.
He also said patients would be informed that their spouse could
donate a kidney if the organ was compatible.
"Doctors will leave it to the patient and the spouse to pick up
the hint. Normally if their marriage is stable, the spouse is
willing to donate," he said.
"But we also do not want to potentially cause tension in the
relationship. We do not pressure the spouse to donate. There are
also spouses who refuse to give."
For a spouse who consents to the donation, doctors will perform
tests, including a mental check to ensure that the decision was made
with a sound mind without any duress.
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