Fatima Begum Fatima Begum Asked 9 months ago

Is there an age limit to donate a kidney?

My brother needs a kidney, and I want to donate one if possible. I'm in my late 50s. Is there an age limit for donating a kidney in India, or can I still be a donor?

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7 answers

Harish Rawat Harish Rawat Joined Jun 2026 4 months ago
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Usually, the legal minimum age is 18 years in India, and most hospitals prefer donors under 60 or 65 years. I donated to my brother when I was 42, and the testing process is extremely rigorous to ensure the donor's future health isn't affected. You need a complete green light from the nephrologist.

Shweta Kulkarni Shweta Kulkarni Joined Jan 2026 9 months ago

I understand how stressful it is to think about donation and the safety of your loved ones. Typically, donors need to be above 18 and preferably under 60. Don't worry too much about the numbers right now, the doctors won't proceed unless the donor is 100% safe.

Renuka Devi Renuka Devi Joined Jan 2026 9 months ago

Yes, while the legal minimum age is 18, the upper age limit is generally around 60 to 65 years. This is because older kidneys might not function as well in the recipient's body, and the surgery is also tougher on older donors. A detailed medical board evaluates this.

Rohan Mehra Rohan Mehra Joined Feb 2026 8 months ago

I looked this up recently for a college project on organ donation. You have to be at least 18 to legally donate a kidney. The upper limit is usually around 60, but it depends a lot on the donor's overall health and the hospital's policy.

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Consult a nephrologist

Suresh Prasad Suresh Prasad Joined Mar 2026 8 months ago

Practically speaking, hospitals look at the fitness of the person rather than just the age number. Generally, they don't take donors above 60 because of long-term safety. The best first step is to visit a government hospital's transplant OPD to get the correct guidelines.

Meenakshi Sundaram Meenakshi Sundaram Joined Mar 2026 7 months ago

Please do not rely on age limits mentioned on online forums. Every state and hospital in India has very strict legal and medical protocols under the THOA act. You must consult a registered transplant coordinator at a licensed hospital to get the facts.

Abhishek Pandey Abhishek Pandey Joined Jun 2026 4 months ago

Hey, don't worry. The rule is basically 18 to 60 years in most Indian hospitals, but sometimes healthy people up to 65 are also accepted. The doctors run so many checks on heart, sugar, and kidney function that only a completely healthy person can donate anyway.

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