A new study says that women who have donated a kidney are at higher risk of developing gestational hypertension or a potentially dangerous condition called pre-eclampsia during pregnancies that follow the donation.
Women who have donated a kidney face an 11 per cent risk of developing one of these conditions; for women who have both kidneys, it’s a five per cent chance.
Pre-eclampsia (the precursor to full-blown eclampsia) is a marked by a trio of classic symptoms — fluid retention, headaches and high blood pressure. While it can be fatal if untreated, ending the pregnancy by inducing delivery or performing a caesarean section will cure the condition.