Some of the misunderstandings include the assumption that the donor’s life expectancy is shortened, or that they risk suffering from kidney disease too.
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
After the news broke that the Metropolitan Police arrested former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, over allegation of planning to harvest the kidney of a 15-year-old boy, and pass it off to their daughter in need of it, there has been some misunderstanding around kidney donation.
Some of the misunderstandings include the assumption that the donor’s life expectancy is shortened, or that they risk suffering from kidney disease too.
Here are the facts about kidney donation culled from the website of the National Kidney Foundation.
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- According to the National Kidney Foundation, people can live normal lives with only one kidney, as long as the donor is evaluated thoroughly and cleared for donation. When the kidney is removed, the single normal kidney will increase in size to compensate for the loss of the donated kidney.
- Living donation does not change life expectancy and does not appear to increase the risk of kidney failure. In general, most people with a single normal kidney have few or no problems; however, you should always talk to your transplant team about the risks involved in donation. Some studies report that living donors may have a greater chance of developing high blood pressure. It is recommended that potential donors consult with their doctor about the risks of living donation.
- After a donor’s kidney is removed, he or she stays in hospital for not more than three nights and takes about six weeks to return to normal activities, although this varies from individual donor’s rate of recovery.
- Donors are encouraged to have a good long-term medical follow-ups with their primary care doctors. A urine test, a blood pressure check and a blood test for kidney function (GFR) should be done every year.
- After donation, living donors often report a wide range of mixed emotions, from joy and relief to anxiety to depression. The process of getting through the evaluation and surgery can be so time-consuming that donors do not always have time to process everything they are feeling. It is normal for these emotions to come to the forefront after the donation and transplant take place. Living donors generally rate their experience as positive. Different studies indicate that between 80-97% of donors say that in retrospect, they would have still made the decision to donate. However, concerns about the recipient’s outcome (as well as the donor’s recovery) can contribute to feelings of anxiety, and many donors report a feeling of “let down” afterwards. Feelings of depression among living donors are not uncommon, even when both donor and recipient are doing well.
- What if you donate, and need a kidney later? This is something potential donors should discuss with the transplant team. Talk to your transplant team about any pre-existing condition or other factors that may put you at a higher risk of developing kidney disease, and consider this carefully before making a decision about donation. There have been some cases in which living donors needed a kidney later – not necessarily due to the donation itself. It is considered a potential risk of donation. UNOS policy gives priority to the waiting list to living donors.
- Can I become pregnant after I’ve donated a kidney? Pregnancy after the donation is possible but is usually not recommended for at least six months after the donation surgery. Living donors should talk to their ob/gyn and transplant team before getting pregnant about pregnancy and make sure that they have good prenatal care.
