Uncovering sex-based disparities in trauma surgery research.

Abstract

Traumatic hemorrhage remains a leading cause of death worldwide, yet trauma research, like much of biomedical research, continues to underrepresent females across cell, animal, and human studies. This exclusion obscures well-documented sex differences in coagulation, transfusion needs, and outcomes while fueling policies that are not evidence based and limiting access to lifesaving therapies, such as whole blood transfusions for females of or below childbearing age. Closing these gaps requires a cultural shift toward sex-inclusive research, rigorous sex-based analyses, and guidelines that reflect both biological differences and patient values to ensure equitable trauma care.