Women are less likely to receive life-saving CPR, doctor explains why

According to research, women are considerably less likely to receive Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating (cardiac arrest) or breathing stops.

Sara Askew, the Head of Survival at the British Heart Foundation, explains: "Regardless of gender, the overall survival rate for an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is shockingly less than one in 10. Every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to 10 percent, which is why knowing how to perform CPR is essential and doing something is always better than doing nothing."

While odds are low for surviving a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital, acting fast with CPR can significantly increase an individual's chances of survival.

Stories often celebrate strangers stepping in to do so, yet women are less likely to get that help, largely because people feel awkward.

Speaking on behalf of Harley Street Hair Transplant Clinics, GP Dr Mohammed Ditta exclusively told Tyla a little more about why women are less likely to receive CPR and the impact this has.

Women are considerably less likely to receive CPR for one specific reason (Getty Stock Images)

According to Dr Ditta, a sudden collapse in women is more likely to be mislabelled as 'fainting, a panic episode, exhaustion, or something non-cardiac, particularly if the person is younger or if the setting is a gym, workplace, or social venue'.

"If bystanders do not quickly identify cardiac arrest, they are less likely to call 999 promptly, start compressions, or send someone to fetch the nearest AED," he explained.

The expert also outlined that there is a 'practical knowledge gap' around anatomy and equipment.

Dr Ditta continued: "Some people wrongly believe breasts make CPR or AED use unsafe, or they are unsure where hands and pads should go.

"In reality, CPR hand position is the centre of the chest, over the breastbone, regardless of sex.

"For AEDs, pads need to stick to bare skin, with one pad placed high on the right side of the chest and the other on the left side of the chest, below the armpit area.

"Breast tissue is not a barrier. It may need to be moved to get good pad contact, and a bra may need to be moved or cut if it obstructs placement."

He stated: "That is appropriate in an emergency because a person in cardiac arrest is unresponsive and cannot give or withhold consent, so implied consent applies for life-saving treatment."

A 2024 study found women were 27 per cent less likely to receive CPR outside the hospital (Getty Stock Images)

A 2024 US study found women were 27 per cent less likely to receive assistance.

Meanwhile, data from Thames Valley Air Ambulance, released earlier this month, showed one in three women who have a cardiac arrest receive no CPR before emergency crews arrive.

The charity said it’s not because 'bystanders don’t care, but because they hesitate'.

Chief executive Amanda McLean added, 'modesty should never get in the way of saving a life'.

"Many people feel unsure about touching a woman’s chest, removing clothing or cutting through a bra to apply defibrillator pads," she explained.

The expert explained that 'implied consent' applies to life-saving treatment (Getty Stock Images)

Dr Ditta added that fear of causing harm also plays a part.

"People worry about breaking ribs, doing compressions incorrectly, or making things worse," he continued. "Rib fractures can happen during effective CPR and are not a reason to stop.

"The alternative to acting is almost always worse because, without circulation, the brain is starved of oxygen within minutes."

The expert also highlighted the importance of 'training and imagery' as he told Tyla: "Many people learn CPR on manikins that do not reflect female body shapes, and they rarely practise the real-world steps of exposing the chest quickly and using an AED on a woman.

"When the first time someone faces those decisions is in public, hesitation is predictable."

He explained that the optimum practical response is 'simple and fast'.

"If someone collapses and is unresponsive and not breathing normally, call 999 immediately, put the phone on speaker, start hard, fast chest compressions in the centre of the chest, and use an AED as soon as it arrives, following the voice prompts," Dr Ditta advised.

"In the UK, people who act reasonably and in good faith to save a life are broadly protected, and the priority is immediate action."