KDIGO is pleased to announce the publication of the conference report from the KDIGO Controversies Conference on Women and Kidney Health. Held in Athens, Greece, in 2023, the conference was co-chaired by Giorgina Piccoli, MD (France), and Christina Wyatt, MD (United States). It convened more than 60 global experts across nephrology, obstetrics, neonatology, pediatric nephrology, reproductive medicine, endocrinology, public health, epidemiology, nutrition, ethics, and patient advocacy. Together, participants examined how sex and gender influence kidney disease across the lifespan, with a particular focus on reproductive health, and developed a global framework to improve care for women with or at risk of kidney disease.

The report, now published in Kidney International, outlines how chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects women’s health and provides guidance for closing long-standing gaps in diagnosis, treatment, and access to care. It calls for early reproductive counseling, coordinated pregnancy care, and structured follow-up after childbirth while highlighting the need for more inclusive clinical research and global equity in kidney and reproductive health services.

“This report provides a framework for delivering more equitable and effective care—from puberty to menopause, including fertility, pregnancy, and beyond,” said Dr. Piccoli. “Reproductive health is not separate from kidney health. For too long, women’s experiences have been underrepresented in kidney research and care delivery. This report is a call to action for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to address these gaps.”

“Women face unique risks related to kidney health, from higher rates of autoimmune kidney disease since adolescence to risks associated with CKD in pregnancy to the underdiagnosis of cardiovascular risks in postmenopausal years,” said Dr. Wyatt. “Yet these realities are often overlooked in standard kidney care. This report emphasizes the importance of building a more inclusive, responsive kidney care system that integrates reproductive planning, addresses social determinants of health, and values the voices of women living with kidney disease.”

The report also stresses the need for equity in access to kidney and reproductive health services, particularly in medium low-resource settings. It calls for improved cross-specialty collaboration, more robust data collection by sex and gender, and broader inclusion of women in clinical trials to better inform future guidelines and policies.

The conference report is available on the Kidney International and KDIGO websites.