Statistics indicate that women are more willing than men to let go a part of them to save a family member in need of an organ.

In-charge of Telangana government’s Jeevandan cadaver transplantation programme, G. Swarnalatha said that approximately 80% of living organ donors are women. Manisha Sahay, head of Nephrology department at Osmania General Hospital, also echoed Dr. Swarnalatha, adding that around 80% of organ recipients are men.

However, the observation takes a U-turn in case of cadaver donors. The Jevandan official said men constitute 78% of deceased donors, where organs are harvested after the patient is declared brain-dead.

“Women insist that they will donate organs. However, we have seen cases where they agree in presence of their husbands under pressure. When we counsel them in person, they admit that they don’t want to donate organs since they want to be in good health to take care of kids if their husbands pre-decease them,” Dr. Swarnalatha said.

In one case, the official recalled, how they had explained to a prospective female donor that she might not be able to conceive if she donates her kidney. However, she insisted on doing it and later, could have two children.