22/10/2026
What are the challenges unique to women?
Pyelonephritis (Kidney infection)
Due to their anatomy women are more likely to get urinary tract infections (UTIs) than men. Pyelonephritis is a type of UTI originating from the lower urinary tract and moving upstream to one or both kidneys. Left untreated, such infections can progress to sepsis, presenting life-threatening consequences.
Conception
Advanced-stage CKD, especially when dialysis is required, poses a risk for fertility. Despite the challenges, intensive treatment sessions can make conception on dialysis possible.
Pregnancy-related complications
Kidney-related complications such as Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and preeclampsia (PE) may arise during pregnancy leading to CKD development.
Lupus Nephritis (LN), autoimmune-induced kidney damage linked to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disorder, predominantly affects women. Nine out of 10 people who have SLE are women. SLE disorder, in which the body’s immune system attacks the body’s own cells and tissues, most often strikes during the childbearing years. Kidney disease caused by lupus nephritis may worsen and lead to kidney failure.
Any kind of pre-existing kidney disease in the mother has a negative effect on pregnancy and may pose a threat to the health of the mother and the fetus. Women with CKD face a higher likelihood of experiencing adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preeclampsia, AKI, the progression of CKD, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, malformations, and other long-term complications.
Septic abortion after an illegal procedure is the leading cause of AKI in countries with no access to legal abortion.
