Date of Award
2009
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Program
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Supervisor
Dr. Amit Garg
Second Advisor
Dr. John Koval
Abstract
The majority of living kidney donors is women. Female donors often ask their physicians whether donation will have any effect on their future pregnancies. Previous studies conclude that living donation poses no great harm for women who wish to become pregnant after donation. In Ontario, we are able to study this issue using large health care databases, and data from the Trillium Gift of Life Network. In this pilot study, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia) were compared among kidney donors and healthy women who did not become kidney donors. 55 donors were studied who became pregnant following kidney donation comparing them to 502 matched female controls. Controls were matched on age, income, date of child birth, date of last pregnancy, history of previous pregnancy with hypertensive complications, and current multiple gestations. There was no statistically significant difference in the risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy between donors and controls (13% vs. 8%; OR 1.78; 95% Cl 0.75 to 4.19; p-value=0.19). However, the wide confidence interval and small sample size leaves uncertainty on any conclusions to be drawn. The results of this pilot study provide the foundation for a more definitive study, to rule out a smaller yet clinically important risk.
Recommended Citation
Nevis, Immaculate F.P., "RISK OF HYPERTENSIVE DISORDERS IN PREGNANCY OF LIVING KIDNEY DONORS: A PILOT COHORT STUDY" (2009). Digitized Theses. 3910.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/3910