Every year, nearly five million Americans need blood transfusions. An estimated 43,000 pints (or units) of donated blood are used each day in the United States, and one in seven people entering the hospital needs blood. Women are critical to the country’s blood supply, since their role as caregivers sends a message that donating blood is the right thing to do. However, they are also more likely than men to be temporarily restricted from donating because of low hematocrit, or red blood cell levels if they are still menstruating.

1. BLOOD DONATION AND TRANSFUSION GUIDELINES
Overview
Everyyear,nearlyfive millionAmericansneedbloodtransfusions.Anestimated43,000 pints(orunits)
of donatedbloodare usedeachdayin the UnitedStates,andone in sevenpeople enteringthe hospital
needsblood.Womenare critical tothe country’s bloodsupply,since theirrole ascaregiverssendsa
message thatdonatingbloodisthe rightthingto do.However,theyare alsomore likelythanmentobe
temporarilyrestrictedfromdonatingbecauseof low hematocrit,orredbloodcell levelsif theyare still
menstruating.
Blood Shortages: WhyDonating Blood Is Important
Unfortunately,the country’sbloodsupplyonoccasionrunsonperilouslythinmargins.Bloodshortages
occur periodicallywhensupplydoesn’tkeepupwithdemand.Butif onlyone more percentof the
UnitedStatespopulationwouldgive blood,theseshortageswoulddisappearforthe foreseeable future.
Shortagesoccur fornumerousreasons,includinggenerational differencesandbehaviorsassociatedwith
givingbloodandan increasedneedforbloodtransfusions.Bloodbanksworkhardtomake it as easy
and convenientaspossible todonate blood.Still,there are numerousrestrictionsonwhocan donate
blood,withanestimated62 percentof the Americanpopulationunable todonate.
How Do You Donate Blood?
Donatingbloodisrelativelysimple andentirelysafe,however,takingjustanhourand requiringlittle
preparation.There islittle riskof adverse reactionwhendonatingblood,andyoucan donate whole
bloodevery56 days;bloodplatelets everythree days,upto24 timesa year.However,afew people may
feel dizzyorfaintduringthe process.Ingeneral,thiscanbe preventedbyeatingagoodmeal and
drinkingalot of fluids(notcaffeine) before the donation.
Is the Blood SupplySafe?
The bloodsupplytodayisextremelysafe,withthe riskof catchingablood-borne disease viaa
transfusionminiscule.Researchisunderwaytomake the bloodsupplyevensaferviabloodsterilization.
Transfusionscarryotherrisks,includingthe riskof receivingthe wrongbloodtype andof contractinga
rare lungconditionthatcan be deadly.
The Blood TransfusionProcess
Duringa transfusion,anyone of several bloodcomponentsmaybe transfused,includingbloodplatelets,
whichhelpbloodclot;redcells,whichcarryoxygen;andplasma,the wateryfluidthattransportscells
and nutrientsandreplacesbloodvolume.
What Are the DifferentBlood Types?

2. There are fourtypesof blood—O,A,B,and AB—andeachtype can be positive ornegative,referredto
as the Rh factor. In an emergency,anyonecanreceive type Onegativeblood,regardlessof hisorher
ownbloodtype.Researchershave alsodevelopedmedicinesthatmayhelpmimicthe actionsof some
bloodparts.Throughoutyourlife,youwill undergonumerous bloodtests.The mostcommonbloodtest,
calleda complete bloodcount,orCBC,measuresthe numberof white andredbloodcells,your
hemoglobinandhematocritvaluesandyourplateletcount.Anotherslew of bloodtests,referredtoasa
comprehensive metabolicpanel,provide importantinformationaboutyourkidneys,liver,bloodsugar
and bloodproteins.
Lifestyle Tips
Fightyourfear of needlesDonatingblooddoesinvolve aneedle,andprobablyalwayswillinvolve a
needle.Tocombatyourfear,keepinmindthatthe patientatthe otherend of the donationprobably
alsodoesn’tlike needles,butisnowsick,vulnerable anddependentontransfusionbeingavailable.She
doesn’thave anoptionwhenitcomesto needles.Tomake yourfirstdonationeasier,bringafriendwho
has donatedblood.If you’re nervous,tell the staff.Bloodcenterpersonneldeal withpeopleall the time
whoare uncomfortable,andtheyknowhow tomake youcomfortable,aswell ascelebrate yoursuccess
withyouwhenyou’re finished.
Planaheadfor a smoothdonationFirst,readthroughthe informationondonoreligibilityincludedhere
and on blooddonationWebsitestomake sure you’re eligible todonate.If youhave anymedical
conditionsorare takingany medication,talktoyourhealth care professional toensure youcandonate
blood.Thenmake an appointmentwiththe bloodcenterclosesttoyou.Turn upon time andbring a
picture ID.Make sure you eatnormallythe dayof yourdonationanddrinkplentyof non-caffeinated,
nonalcoholicfluids.Wearcomfortable clothingwithshortsleevesorsleevesyoucanroll up.Don’t
exercise the dayyou’re planningtodonate,anddon’tplanto exercise vigorouslyforseveral hoursafter
your donation.
AvoiddizzinessorlightheadednessafterdonatingAskthe nurse inthe post-donationareafora large
glassof water.Studiesfindthatdrinkingabout16 ouncesof waterrightbefore orafterdonatingcan
preventfainting.
Mark yourdonationdate onthe calendarMarkyourcalendarfor 56 daysfrom the date of your
donation.That’swhenyou’re eligibletodonate again.
Ensure youget the rightbloodtypeIf youneedabloodtransfusion,make sure youknow yourbloodtype
before goingtothe hospital orclinic,andthendouble-checkthatthe bloodyou’re receivingisthe
correct blood.Conversely,if yourdoctorsaysyouneeda transfusion,askwhy.Standardsfortransfusion
are influx,andyoumay be able to getby justfine withoutatransfusion.
NeedforDonors
WhyDonate? Blood Shortages

3. Unfortunately,we experience frequentbloodshortagesinthiscountry.AccordingtoAmerica’sBlood
Centers,more than43,000 pintsof donatedbloodare usedeachday, andnearlyfive millionAmericans
needbloodtransfusionsannually.One insevenpeople enteringthe hospitalneedblood,andsomeone
inthiscountry needsbloodeverytwoseconds.
It wouldn’ttake muchtoimprove the situation.If all currentblooddonorsgave bloodjustthree timesa
year(the average istwo timesayear),bloodshortageswouldbe arare event,expertssay.
Major Reasons for Blood Shortages
A majorreasonfor the bloodshortage isthat eventhough38 percentof the country’spopulationis
eligible todonate blood,onlyaboutfiveto10 percentdoes.There are three mainreasonsforthe
shrinkingnumbers,sayexperts:
1. Changingdemographics
Since bloodtransfusionsbecame commonplace inthe 1950s, bloodcentershave dependedonthe
WorldWar II generationfordonations.Thisgenerationisnow agingandhasfewereligibledonors,and
Baby Boomersandthe generationsthatfollow simplydon’tdonate asmuch.Expertsaren’tsure why,
but suspectitmay be relatedtodifferencesinlifestyle,the levelof altruismandthe factthat the blood
communitymaynotbe effectivelyappealingtothese generations.
2. Increasingneedforblood
As surgeriesbecomemore complexandcancertreatmentsmore aggressive,andaspeople livelonger,
accordingto the AmericanRedCross,thiscountryusesaboutsix percentmore bloodeveryyear.
3. Increasingblood donorrejectionrate
Beginningwiththe AIDSepidemicinthe early1980s, the bloodsupplyhasgottenmuchsafer.Butthat’s
requiredturningawaymore andmore potential donors.Today,increasinglysophisticatedandsensitive
tests,coupledwithsignificantlymore questionsonapplicationformsdesignedtoweedoutdonorswho
may transmitblood-bornediseases,meansthere are fewerpeople whoare able todonate bloodevenif
theywantto. For instance,peoplewhohave spentthree ormore monthsinthe UnitedKingdom
between1980 and 1996 cannot donate bloodforfeartheycouldintroduce the humanversionof mad-
cow disease,variantCreutzfeldt-JakobDisease (vCJD),intothe bloodsupply.
4. Bloodproductsare perishable
Redbloodcellshave a shelf lifeof 42 days,plateletsjustfivedays,soblooddonationsare neededevery
day,365 daysa year.
WhyPeople Don’t Give Blood

4. The greatestbarrierthat preventspeoplefromdonatingisalackof convenience andalack of
knowledge of the importanceof donating, expertssay.Anditisimportant.Everypintof donatedblood
savesthree lives,andsomeoneneedsbloodeverytwoseconds.
Thenthere are people’sperceptionsaboutblooddonationandthe excusestheygive fornotdonating.
Accordingto the AmericanRed Cross,the mostcommonexcusespeople givefornotgivingblood
include the following:
 I’mafraidof needles.However,mostdonorssaytheyonlyfeel apinch.
 I’mtoo busy.But mostdonationstake lessthanan hourfrom start to finish.
 I didn’tknowthere wasa needforblood.Everytwoseconds,someoneneedsblood,and43,000
unitsare neededeachday.
 I alreadygave thisyear.You can give bloodevery56 days,and manydonorsgive five timesa
year.
 I’mafraidof AIDS.These days,itis notpossible togetAIDSby donatingbloodbecause anew
sterile needleisusedeachtime.
 I don’thave the right bloodtype.Everybloodtype isneeded.
 I can’t spare the blood.The average adulthas 10 to 12 pintsof blood,anddonatedbloodis
quicklyreplaced,usually within24 hours.
Types & Tests
Types ofBlood
Bloodcells—red,whichcarryoxygen;white,whichfightinfection;andplatelets,whichhelpwith
clotting—are producedinyourbone marrow.Theyare carriedthroughoutyourbodyinplasma,a pale
yellowmixture of water,proteins(producedprimarilyinyourliver)andsalts.
There are fourmaintypesof blood,andeach type can be eitherRhpositive ornegative:
Your BloodType & What BloodYou Can Receive
In an emergency,anyonecanreceive type Oredbloodcells.Peoplewithtype Oare knownas “universal
donors.”Type AB individualscanreceive redbloodcellsof anyABOtype.Theyare knownas “universal
recipients.”Theycanalsogive plasmato all bloodtypes.
The Rh Factor
The positive ornegative nature of yourbloodtype iscalledyourRhfactor. Youmay have heardabout
Rh factor inconnectionwithpregnancy.About85percentof Americanshave Rh-positive blood.If you
have Rh-negative bloodandgetpregnantbya man withRh-positive blood,some orall of yourchildren
will have Rh-positiveblood,butsome maybe Rh-negative like you.
Rh & Pregnancy

5. In everypregnancy,some bloodcellsfromthe fetusmaypassthroughthe placentaandenteryour
bloodstream.If youare Rh-negativeandyourbabyis Rh-positive,youmayreactto these “foreign”
invadersasif you were allergictothem,buildingupantibodiescapable of destroyingthe baby’sred
bloodcells.
Thisis typicallyfineif thisisyourfirstpregnancy.Butcomplicationsmayoccurwithfuture pregnancies.
By then,enoughantibodiesmayhave builtupinyoursystemsowhentheypassthroughthe placentato
enterthe fetus’sbloodtheybegintodestroythe baby’sbloodcells,producinganemiaandonrare
occasionsresultinginthe deathof the baby.
To preventthis,womenwhoare Rh-negative whohave hadanRh-positivebabyshouldreceivean
injectionof “Rh-immunoglobulin”within72hours aftergivingbirth,havinganabortionormiscarrying.
ThispreventsRhsensitization.Inaddition,theyneedtohave the injectioninthe 28thweekof their
pregnanciestopreventthe fewredbloodcellsthatcrossthe placentaintothe mother’scirculation
duringpregnancyfromstartingthe immunizationprocess
Artificial Blood
There iscurrentlynoalternative to humanblood,butresearchersare lookingintowaystomake blood
artificially.Researchershave alsodevelopedmedicinesthatmayhelpmimicthe actionsof some blood
parts. Forexample,amedicine callederythropoietincanhelppeople withkidneyproblems make more
redbloodcellssotheyrequire fewerbloodtransfusions.Inaddition,surgeonsare tryingtoreduce the
amountof bloodlostduringsurgeryandto collectandreuse the patient’sbloodsofewerblood
transfusionsare required.
Blood Tests and What TheyMean
Bloodcomprisesseventonine percentof yourtotal bodyweight.Yetjustafew dropsare all that’s
neededforthe mostcommonbloodtest—acompletebloodcount,orCBC.It includesfive major
measuresthatprovide valuablecluestoyouroverall health.
The reference rangesgivenbeloware slightlydifferentforeverylaboratory.Theyshouldbe regardedas
approximations,andthe resultsforaparticularperson’stestsshouldbe comparedtothe reference
range for that lab.
White bloodcell (WBC) count.Thismeasuresthe numberandtype of white bloodcells,whichfight
infection.The “differential”isthe measurementof the five maintypesof white bloodcells:neutrophils
(polys,ormature neutrophils,andbands,oryoungpolys) basophils,eosinophils,lymphocytesand
monocytes.A normal overall WBCrange is4,500 to 10,000 cells/mcL,butyoualsowant to know the
resultsof the differential,orthe specificnumberof neutrophils,lymphocytes,monocytes,eosinophils
and basophils.Accordingtothe AmericanAssociationforClinical Chemistry,astandardreference range
isnot available forthistestbecause valuesare dependentonmanyfactors.

6. Redbloodcell (RBC) count.Normal range is4.7 to 6.1 cells/mcLformalesand4.2 to 5.4 million
cells/mcLforfemales.The meancell volume (MCV)measuresthe approximate size of the redbloodcell.
A normal range is 80 to 95.
Hemoglobin(HGB) value.Normalrange variesbutingeneral is13.8 to 17.2 g/dL for malesand12.1 to
15.1 g/dL for females.Low hematocritandhemoglobinlevelsmeanyoucouldhave anemia.
Hematocrit(HCT) value.Normal range is40.7 to 50.3 percentfor malesand36.1 to 44.3 for females.
Plateletcount.Normal range is150,000 to 450,000 plateletspermicroliter.Withoutenough platelets,
youcouldhave a conditioncalled“thrombocytopenia,”whichcausesyoutobruise easily
The MetabolicPanel
Your healthcare professional mayalsoorderacomprehensive metabolicpanel (CMP).These 14tests,
routinelyorderedaspart of a blood work-upforamedical examoryearlyphysical,provideimportant
informationaboutthe currentstatusof your kidneys,liverandelectrolyteandacid/base balance aswell
as your bloodsugarand bloodproteins.Forbestresults,youshouldfast10 to 12 hours before the test.
Notall testsdescribedbelowhave rangeslistedforthembecause the AmericanAssociationforClinical
Chemistrynotesthatreferencerangesformanytestsare specifictothe laboratorythat producesthe
results.Yourtestresultsshouldshowyoua“normal” range nextto yourresult.Here are some of the
testsincludedinametabolicpanel:
Glucose levels:Screensforandmonitorsdiabetes,prediabetesandlow bloodsugar.Normal range is
from70 to 99 mg/dL.Levelsfrom100 to 125 mg/dL suggestpre-diabetes,and126 mg/dL and above
probable diabetes.
Calcium:Measurescalciumlevelsinyourblood.
Albumin:Screensforaliverdisorderorkidneydiseaseandevaluatesnutritional status.
Total protein:Screensforcertainliverandkidneysdisorders,aswell asotherdiseases,andhelps
determine yournutritional status.
Electrolytes:Screensforsodium,potassium, carbondioxide/bicarbonate andchloridelevels.Among
otherthings,providesanoverviewof yourbody’sfluidandelectrolyte balance.
BUN (bloodureanitrogen) andcreatinine:Evaluatesyourkidneyfunction.
Liverfunctiontests:IncludesALP(alkaline phosphatase),ALT(alanine aminotransferase),aspartate
aminotransferase(AST) andbilirubin,amongothers.
Other CommonBlood Tests for Women
Thyroidtest:The AmericanThyroidAssociationrecommendsadultsage 35 and oldershouldbe
screenedeveryfive yearsforthyroidproblemsusingthe TSHtest.

7. Cholesteroltest:The AmericanHeartAssociationrecommendseveryone 20and olderhave theirblood
cholesterol measuredatleastonce everyfiveyears.Ideally,yourtotal cholesterol shouldbe below200
mg/dL,your LDL (or “bad” cholesterol)lessthan100 mg/dL andyour HDL (“good”cholesterol) 60mg/dL
or more (the higheryourHDL level the better).
BloodSupplySafety
Is Our BloodSupplySafe?
Americanswhobelieve the U.S.bloodsupplyisunsafe are worryingfornoreason.Accordingtothe
Foodand Drug Administration,the Americanbloodsupplyissaferthaniteverhasbeen.
GovernmentSafetyStandards
The FDA isresponsible forensuringthe safetyof the nation’sbloodsupply.Overall,upto14 testsare
performedoneveryunitof donatedblood,includingtestingforseveninfectiousagents:syphilis,
hepatitisBandC, HTLV I and II (the virusthatcausesa formof leukemia),andHIV I and II.Today,blood
centersuse a testingprotocol calledNAT,ornucleicacidtesting,tosimultaneouslytestforHIV and
HepatitisC.NATis capable of detectingmore infectiousagentsthantests previouslyusedbecause it
detectsviral genesratherthanantibodiesorantigens(proteinsfromthe virus).Thisenablesearlier
detection,evenbeforethe donorknowshe/sheisinfected,because the appearance of antibodies
requirestime forthe donortodevelopanimmune response,anddetectionof antigensrequirestime for
a higherlevel of virustoappearinthe bloodstream.
In recentyears,the FDA has significantlyincreaseditsoversightof the bloodindustry.Today,the FDA
inspectsall bloodfacilitiesatleasteverytwoyears,visiting“problem”facilitiesmore often.Blood
establishmentsare nowheldtoqualitystandardscomparabletothose expectedof pharmaceutical
manufacturers.
Blood Donor Screenings
Blooddonorsare alsoaskedspecificand verydirectquestionsaboutriskfactorsthatcouldindicate
possible infectionwithatransmissibledisease.This“up-front”screeningeliminatesapproximately90
percentof unsuitable donors.The FDA alsorequiresbloodcenterstomaintainlistsof unsuitable donors
to preventthe use of collectionsfromthem.
The tight regulationof the bloodsupplymeansthatbloodcenterscanmove quicklywhennew
infectiousdiseaseagentsare identified.Forinstance,whenWestNile virusemergedinthe UnitedStates
in1999, bloodofficialsimmediatelybeganresearchingwhetheritcouldbe transmittedviathe blood
supply.Bylate 2002, it was clearthat the viruscouldbe transmittedviabloodproducts,andinJuly
2003, officialsimplementedapost-donationtestforthe virus.
Blood Sterilization

8. Althoughthe FDA notesonits Website thata totally“risk-free”bloodsupplymayneverbe attainable,
researchersaroundthe worldstill searchforwaysto reachthat goal.One promisingtechniqueusesa
procedure called“pathogeninactivation,”orsterilization.The procedure involvesaddingachemical toa
bag of bloodto “breakup” the geneticmaterial of anyvirusesorbacteriaso theycan’tinfecta recipient.
 DonatingBlood
 Who Can Donate
To be eligible todonate blood,youmustbe ingoodhealthand at least17 yearsold(althoughsome
statespermityoungerpeople,withparentalconsent,todonate).Few have anyupperage limit.
Generally,donorsmustweighatleast110 pounds,andall must passa physical andhealth history
examinationgivenbefore donation.“Healthy”meansyoufeelwellandcanperformnormal activities.If
youhave a chronicconditionsuchas diabetesorhighbloodpressure,“healthy”alsomeansyour
conditioniscontrolledwithtreatment.
Although the U.S.Foodand Drug Administration(FDA) setsmostblooddonationguidelines,some
additional criteriaare setbythe blooddonationcenters.Sothe informationbelow shouldbe takenasa
guide only.Checkwithyourbloodcenteraboutitsspecificrules.
Donor eligibilityrulesare intendedtoprotectthe healthandsafetyof the donor,as well asthe patient
whowill receive the transfusion.If youhave anykindof medical condition,youshouldcheckwithyour
healthcare professional aboutyourability todonate blood.
Donation Safety
There isabsolutelynowayyoucan contract any virusor illnessbydonatingblood.All materialsusedto
collectbloodare new.Theyhave beensterilizedbythe manufacturerandneverbeenusedbefore and
are thrownoutimmediatelyafteruse.
How to Donate
First,checkthe listof exceptionsfordonationtosee if youare eligibletodonate.If youhave any
questions,call yourhealthcare professionaloryourlocal blooddonationcenter.Tofindthe closest
bloodcenternearyou,call the AmericanRedCrossor the America’sBloodCentershotlinesorvisittheir
Websitesto setan appointment.The AmericanRedCrossandotherbloodbanksare doingall theycan
to make blooddonationaseasyas possible bybringingopportunitiestodonate tothe donors,through
work-site andcommunityblooddrives.
 On the day of your appointment,follow theserecommendations:
 Eat heartilyanddrinkfluids(non-caffeinated,nonalcoholic) before youdonate.
 Don’texercise immediatelybefore youdonate blood.
 Arrive ontime.Most of the people staffingbloodcentersare volunteers.It’snotfairto waste
theirtime,andtheytry hard notto waste yours.
 Bringa picture ID.You’ll be askedto prove youridentityandtoprovide proof of yourname,
date of birthand Social Securitynumber.

9.  Relax duringthe donation,whichonlytakesabout10to 15 minutes.
 What to Expectat Your DonationAppointment
Whenyouarrive at the donationcenter,you’llregisterandansweraseriesof questionsconcerningyour
medical history.Thenamedical stafferwill conductahealthexaminationandmeasure yourpulse,blood
pressure,temperature andredcell level.Youmayfeel alittle painwhenthe needle goesin.Some
people don’tfeelanypain.Itmighthelptolook awaywhile the needleisinserted.You’ll sitorlie down
for about10 to15 minuteswhileapint,or unit,of bloodiscollected.
Donatingbloodisstrictlya volunteeractivity—there isnopayment.There are plasmacentersinsome
cities,however,whereyoucanreceive compensationfordonatingplasma,the fluidthattransports
bloodcells.
ApheresisDonation
In additiontothe regularmethodof donatingblood,inwhichthe bloodispermanentlyremovedfrom
your body,youmaydonate bloodplateletsthroughaprocesscalledapheresis.Duringthistype of
donation,bloodpassesthroughaspecial machine calleda“bloodcell separator”thatusescentrifugal
force (basically,spinningthe bloodaroundveryfast) toseparate the variousbloodcomponents.The
portionof the blooddesired,suchasthe platelets,are thencollected,whilethe restof the blood
products—plasma,hemoglobinandwhite bloodcells—are returnedtothe donor.
Apheresistakeslongerthantraditionalblooddonation—abouttwohours—butitcontainssix toeight
timesmore plateletsthanone whole blooddonation.Andbecausebloodplateletsare replenished
quickerthanred bloodcells,youcandonate everythree days,althoughnomore than24 timesayear.
Double Red Blood Cell Donations
To increase the amountof bloodproductcollectedduringeachdonation(andthusreduce the number
of donorsneeded),manybloodcentersnow offer“doubleredbloodcell donations.”These are a
differenttype of blooddonationwhere,insteadof collecting bloodintoindividual collectionbagsasit
comesfromthe donors’veins,the bloodiscollectedintoamachine.The machine keepsjustthe red
bloodcell portionof the bloodandreturnsthe otherbloodelementstothe donor.Inthisway, twofull
dosesof red cells,the mostimportantpartof the donation,canbe collectedatone time.Lookedat
anotherway:donorsonlyhave to donate bloodonce to give the equivalentof twoblooddonations.
Unfortunately,manywomendonotqualifytodonate doubleredcellsbecausetheyhave aloweroverall
bloodvolume thanmen.
What Happens AfterYour Donation Appointment?
Afterdonating,youshouldreceive aformwitha numbertocall incase youlearnafteryour donation
that yourbloodmay notbe safe to give toanotherperson.Itis veryimportantthatyoucall that number
if you discoverthatyouhave an infectiousdiseasethatcan be spreadthroughbloodproducts.
How Will You Feel AfterGivingBlood?

10. Althoughmostpeople feel fine afterdonating,afew have some nausea,afaintordizzyfeeling,ora
blackand blue mark,rednessorpainwhere the needle entered.Thisisperfectlynormal.
Afterdonating,you’re askedtorelax forafew minuteswhileyou’re servedalightsnack.While you’re
resting,askthe nurse for a large glass(about16 ounces) of water.Studiesshow thatdrinkingwater
before andafterdonatingcan preventfainting.
Afterdonating,youshouldavoidmuscle exercises,roughmovementsandheavyactivitiessuchas
weightliftingorpickingupheavy objectsforthe firstfourto five hours.Thenmarkyour calendar:You
can donate againin 56 days.If youdonate every56 days,you’ll be able todonate six timesayear.Over
your lifetime,youcouldconceivablydonate 48gallonsof bloodif youlive to age 76!
WhenCan You Give BloodAgain?
Overall,youmustwaitat leasteightweeksbetweenwhole blood(standard)donations,atleastthree
daysbetweenplateletapheresisdonationsandatleast16 weeksbetweendouble redcell (automated)
donations.
WhenCan You Not Give Blood?
There are certainsituationsinwhichapersonisunable togive blood,andisturnedawayat the blood
donationcenter.Deferralscanbe temporaryorpermanent,andare detailedbelow.
Temporary Deferral
If you have experiencedany of the followinghealthsituationsinthe bulletedlistimmediatelybelow,
youmay findyourself “temporarilydeferred.”Itmeansyoucan’t give bloodthatday,but youcan come
back once you nolongermeetthe specificcriteria.
If you are temporarilydeferred,orturnedaway,ata blooddonationcenter,askthe staff atthe blood
centerwhatyou needtodo to be able to donate.Insome instances,youmayjustneedtowaita few
weeks.Inothers,youmayneedsome medical attention.Don’ttake the deferral asa personal affrontor
insult.Itdefinitelyisnotpersonal.Andthe bloodcentersreallyneedyourdonation.Somarkyour
calendarforthe date whenyoucan returnto try again.
You may be temporarilydeferredifyou:
Have had a heartattack inthe lastsix months.
Have had malariain the lastthree years,livedinanarea where malariaisfoundinthe lastthree yearsor
traveledtoan area where malariaisfoundinthe last12 months.
Have receivedblood,plasmaorothertypesof bloodcomponentsin the lastyear.You mustwait12
monthsafterreceivingabloodtransfusionfromanotherpersoninthe UnitedStatesbefore donating
blood.Andyoumay notdonate if you receivedatransfusionsince1980 in the UnitedKingdom(England,
Wales,Scotland,NorthernIreland,Channel Islands,Isle of Man,Gibraltaror FalklandIslands).This

11. requirementisrelatedtoconcernsaboutvariantCreutzfeldt-Jakobdisease(vCJD),or“madcow”
disease.
 Have receivedabloodtransfusionincertainAfricancountriessince 1977.
 Have beentattooedinthe lastyear (youmustwait12 monthsaftera tattoo).
 Have had cardiac surgery,a heartattack or an episode of anginainthe lastsix months.Discuss
your particularsituationwithyourhealthcare provideratthe time of donation.
 Have beenexposedtosomeonewithhepatitiswithinthe lastyear.
 Are not feelingwellthe dayof the blooddonation.
Have an acute infection.If youare takinganantibiotic,the reasonforthe antibioticmustbe evaluated
to determine if youcantransmitthe infectionviablood.Youcan donate afteryouhave finishedacourse
of oral antibioticsforabacterial or viral infectionaslongasyou have takenthe lastpill asof the date of
donation.If youreceivedanantibioticbyinjection,youcan donate as longas ithas been10 dayssince
your lastinjection.If youare takingantibioticstopreventaninfection,the responsible medical director
will evaluate whetherornotyou can donate.
Have a temperature above 99.5 degreesFahrenheit.
Are pregnantor have had an abortioninthe last six weeks.Waitsix weeksaftergivingbirthbefore
donatingblood.
Have had oral surgeryor treatmentforan abscessor infectionof the mouth.Inthisinstance,youshould
waitthree daysbefore attemptingtodonate blood.
Have had immunizationsforGermanmeasles(rubella),MMR (measles,mumpsandrubella),orchicken
pox.In those instances,waitfourweeksbefore donating.If you’ve beenimmunizedagainstredmeasles
(rubeola),mumps,poliooryellowfever,wait twoweeks.Waitsevendaysafterimmunizationfor
HepatitisB(unlessyouwere giventhe immunizationforexposuretohepatitisB.Thenwait12 months).
There are alsovariouswaitingperiodsafterreceivingsmallpoxvaccine,dependingonyourreactionto
the vaccine.
 Have beentreatedforsyphilisorgonorrhea.Wait12 monthsbefore donating.
 Certaindrugsalsocarry certainwaitingperiods.The RedCrossliststhe followingwaitingtimes
afteryou have takenyourlastdose:
 isotretinoin(Accutane), finasteride (ProscarandPropecia):Waitfourweeks.
 dutasteride (Avodart):Waitsix months.
 aspirin:Nowaitingperiodfordonatingblood.However,youmustwait48 hours aftertaking
aspirinor anymedicationcontainingaspirinbefore donatingplatelets byapheresis.
 warfarin(Coumadin),heparinorotherprescriptionbloodthinner:Waitsevendaysafter
discontinuing.
 humanpituitary-derivedgrowthhormone:Youare not eligible todonate blood.
 hepatitisBimmune globulin(givenforexposuretohepatitis):Wait12 monthsafterexposure to
hepatitis.

12.  clopidogrel (Plavix):Waitsevendaysbeforedonatingplateletsbyapheresis.
 acitretin(Soriatane):Waitthree yearsbefore donating.
 etretinate (Tegison):Youare not eligible todonate blood.
 ticlopidine Hcl (Ticlid):Waitsevendaysbeforedonating.
 Low HemoglobinCountinWomen
One reasonwomendonate bloodlessoftenthanmenmayhave to do withthe fact that womenwho
are still menstruatingare more likelytohave lowerhematocrit,orredbloodcell,levelsthanmen.
Havingadequate ironstoresisimportantfordonationsince ironisneededtomake hemoglobin,the red
pigmentthatcarriesoxygeninside redcells.Withoutadequate iron,youwill notbe able tomake upfor
bloodlostthroughmenstruationor throughdonation.The U.S.Foodand Drug Administration(FDA)
requiresthatall donorshave a bloodhemoglobinlevelof atleast12.5 g/dL.
That doesn’tmeanwomencan’teventuallydonate.Theyjustneedtogettheirironlevelsupeither
throughdietor supplements.Don’ttrytodo thison yourown,however.If youlearnthatyour iron
levelsare lowwhenyoutryto donate blood,see ahealthcare professional.Youmayneedprescription
ironsupplementstoreturnyourlevelstonormal.
But womenare critical whenitcomesto thiscountry’sblooddonors.Accordingtothe AmericanRed
Cross,womenmake up50 percentof blooddonors.Asfamilycaregivers,womenholdagreatdeal of
influencewhenitcomestoblooddonation.Whenawomandonatesblood,experts say,she sendsthe
message toothersthat itis safe,painlessandappropriate.She alsosendsamessage thatdonating
bloodisa nurturing,selflessandkindactthat isverymuch withinthe traditional roleof women.Women
alsoreceive the majorityof bloodtransfusions—about53percent.
PermanentDeferrals
If you meetanyof the followingcriteriayouwillbe permanentlydeferred,whichmeansyoucannot
donate blood.If youare permanentlydeferred,youcannotdonate blood.Butyoucanstill help.Ask
your bloodcenteraboutvolunteeropportunitiesoroffertoorganize acommunityorworkplace blood
drive.
You have evertestedpositive forhepatitisBorhepatitisC.
You have had hepatitis(inflammationof the liver) causedbyavirusor unexplainedjaundice (yellow
discolorationof the skin) since age 11.
You have had leukemiaorlymphoma,includingHodgkin’sDisease,oranyothercancers of the blood.If
youhave had anothertype of cancer, youcan donate if the cancer hasbeentreatedsuccessfullyandi t
has beenmore than12 monthssince treatmentwascomplete andyou’ve experiencednocancer
recurrence inthat time.If youhave had a lowerriskcancer,such as a squamousor basal cell skincancer
that has beencompletelyremoved,youdonothave to wait12 months.Inaddition,if youhave hada
precancerousconditionof the cervix,youcanstill donate aslongasthe abnormalityhasbeen
successfullytreated.

13. You are at highriskof contractingthe HIV virus/AIDSorare alreadyinfectedwiththe virus.
You have sickle cell disease.If youhave sicklecell trait,however,youcandonate.
You have spentanycumulative periodof three ormore monthsinthe UnitedKingdomfrom1980
through1996.
You had a bloodtransfusioninanyof the followingcountriesinthe UnitedKingdombetweenJanuary1,
1980, andthe present:Channel Islands,England,FalklandIslands,Gibraltar,Isle of Man,Northern
Ireland,ScotlandandWales.
You have a clottingdisorder,suchasvon Willebrand’sdisease orhemophilia.(If youhave aclotting
disorderfromFactor V and are noton anticoagulants,youare eligible todonate,however).Youshould
alsonot donate if youare currentlytakingany“bloodthinner”medicationsuchaswarfarinor heparin.
You have everreceivedaduramater(braincovering) transplantorhumanpituitarygrowthhormone.
ThisrequirementisrelatedtoconcernsaboutvariantCreutzfeldt-Jacobdisease.Youare alsonoteligible
to donate if youhave a close familymemberwhohashadthe disease,orif youare ina familythathas
beentoldtheyhave a geneticriskforthe disease.
Blood Transfusions
Whenyougive blood,you’re actuallygivingseveralproductsthatcan be transfusedintoseveral
differentpeopleforvariousreasons.Bloodiscomposedof plasma,plateletsandredcells.All blood
donationsare processedandavailable foruse approximately24to 48 hoursafterdonation.After
processing,redcellscanbe storedfor42 days,plasmacan be frozenandstoredfor up to 12 monthsand
platelets(fromwhole bloodorbyapheresis) expireafter5days andare storedat room temperature.
Blood Components& How TheyAre Used
Plasmaisthe wateryfluidthattransportscellsandreplacesbloodvolume.Itisrequiredtomaintain
bloodpressure andassistinclotting.Italsocontainsproteinsthatmayhelpfightdisease.
Plateletsare proteinsthathelp bloodclot.Theyare transfusedintopatientsundergoingtransplantsand
those withleukemiaandothercancers.
Redcellscarry oxygen.Theyare transfusedintopatientswithanemia,andthose whohave lostblood
duringsurgeryor trauma.
AutologousTransfusions.
Autologousblooddonation,inwhichyoudonate yourownbloodforuse duringasurgical procedure,
was quite popularinthe early1980s whenthe riskof HIV infectionwasveryreal.Buttodayit’snot
worthdoingif your communityhasan adequate bloodsupply.Althoughautologousdonationscanspare
yousome of the verylowinfectiousrisksof usingthe availablebloodsupply,fromacost/benefit
standpointit’saveryexpensive optiontopreventaveryfew badoutcomes.

14. Half of all autologousdonorblooddoesn’tevengetusedandmustbe discarded.Plus,evenif you
donate yourownblood,youmay still have areactionduringthe transfusion.Or,yourdonationcouldget
mixedupwithsomeone else’sandusedforthe wrongpatient.
Overall,expertsagree,the safestalternative formedicallyneededtransfusionremainsyourownblood,
but,in mostcases,thisoptionaddsverylittle fromasafetyperspective.Still,if youwantanautologous
bloodtransfusionforyourownpeace of mind,all bloodcentersofferthe option.
Are TransfusionsNecessary?
One of the simplestwaystostretchthe tightbloodsupplymightbe changingphysicianpracticesabout
whenpatientsshouldgettransfusions.A growingbodyof scientificliterature suggeststhatsome
transfusionsmightnotbe necessary.Traditionally,mostdoctorshave transfusedpatientswhentheir
hemoglobinlevelsdropto10 g/dL. Today,many doctorsthinkthe decisionof whetherornot to
transfuse shouldbe made inthe contextof otherfactorsas well,includingthe patient’ssymptomsand
overall health.
Reducingthe numberof bloodtransfusionsthiswaycouldincrease the nation’sbloodsupply,making
bloodmore readilyavailable tothose inneed.Tomove hospitalsinthisdirection,some bloodcenters
have full-time “transfusionsafetyofficers”whoworkwithhospitalsonthese andothertransfusion-
relateditems.Butpatientscanalsoplaya role,sayexperts,byaskingtheirdoctors:“Isthistransfusion
necessary?”
Risks of Blood Transfusions
Transfusionerrorspose asmall but significantrisktopatients,occurringatthe rate of twoerrors a day
nationwide,onaverage.Andnoone reallyknowshow manyresultindeath,since,until fairlyrecently,
hospitalsweren’trequiredtoreporttransfusion-relatederrorsthatdidnotresultindeath.Between
October1, 2005, and September30,2006, the FDA received81 reportsof fatalitiesinpatientsreceiving
bloodtransfusions.Of those,eightwere unrelatedtothe transfusion,63 resultedfromthe transfusion,
and the other10 causesof deathwere undetermined.Yetevenif itdoesn’tresultindeath,anykindof
reactionto the wrongbloodcan slowyourrecoveryandincrease yourriskof complications.
The primaryreasonfor most blood-relatederrorsishumanmistakes.Forinstance,the samplefromthe
patientmaybe mislabeledwithanotherpatient’sname before itissenttothe lab,and thenthe wrong
unitissentto the patientfortransfusion.Or,inthe heatof crisisinthe emergencyroom, someone
forgetstodouble-checkapatient’sidentityandmatchitwiththe label onthe unit.
To avoidthese errors,some hospitalshave begunimplementingbarcode systemsforblood
transfusions,inwhichnursesuse ascanningwandlike those usedingrocerystoresto make sure the
code on the bloodmatchesthe code on the patient’sbracelet.
In additiontoyourriskof gettingthe wrongblood,otherrisksinclude bacterial contaminationof blood
productsand a conditioncalled“transfusion-relatedacute lunginjury,”aseriouspulmonarysyndrome
that can leadto deathif not recognizedandtreatedappropriately.The syndrome isbelievedtobe the

15. thirdmost commoncause of bloodtransfusion-relateddeath.There isalsosome concernthat
transfusionmayaffectthe immune systemandcause some mildimmune suppression.
For these anda multitude of otherreasons—notthe leastof whichisthe chronicallyshortblood
supply—researchershave beenscramblingtodiscover“artificial”bloodproductsandmeansof
maintainingblood productslonger.Varioustypesof hemoglobincarriersare beingstudied,butapproval
isunlikelyinthe foreseeablefuture because of safetyconcerns.
Facts to Know
1. Everyyear,nearlyfive millionAmericansneedbloodtransfusions,whileanestimated43,000
pintsof donatedbloodare usedeachday.
2. Thiscountry hasa severe bloodshortage.
3. It takesjustan hour fromstart to finishtodonate blood.
4. As caregivers,itisparticularlyimportantthatwomendonate bloodbecauseitsendsasignal to
otherfamilyandfriendsthatdonatingbloodissafe,painlessandappropriate.
5. Donatingbloodisperfectlysafe,withnoriskof contractingany blood-bornediseases.
6. You can donate bloodevery56 days.
7. Womenwhostill menstruate mayhave low ironlevelsthattemporarilypreventthemfrom
donatingblood,buttheycanreturn anddonate once theirironlevelsreturntonormal.
8. The U.S. bloodsupplyisverysafe,withlittlechance of diseaseslike HIV beingtransmittedvia
bloodtransfusion.
9. About85 percentof Americanshave Rh-positiveblood.
10. In an emergency,anyonecanreceive type Onegative redbloodcells.People withthistype of
bloodare knownas “universal donors.”
Key Q&A
1. Why shouldIdonate blood?Every year,nearlyfive millionAmericansneedbloodtransfusions,
and an estimated43,000 of donatedbloodare usedeachday inthe UnitedStates.Yetthe
country’sbloodsupplyrunsonperilouslythinmargins.
2. Why isn’tthere enoughblood?Severalreasons:The WorldWarII generation,whichhasalways
beenthe greatestdonorof bloodproducts,isgettingolderandfewer.Subsequentgenerations
simplyhaven’ttakenupthe call todonate.Today,justfive to10 percentof Americansdonate
blood,eventhough38 percentare eligible.
3. Who can donate blood?The criteriaare comprehensive,coveringeverythingfromthe type of
medicationyou’re takingtoanyillnessespastorcurrent.Briefly,youmustbe 17 or olderto
donate bloodandweighatleast110 pounds.Youcannot donate if youhave evertestedpositive
for HIV or HepatitisBor C or have a clottingdisorderorhave takenhumanpituitary-derived
growthhormone.
4. Are there certainmedicationsthatdisqualifyme fromdonatingblood?Mostmedicationsdonot
interfere withyourabilitytodonate blood,althoughsome require thatyoube finishedtaking

16. the medicine forseveral daysbefore donating.Youcannotdonate bloodif youhave evertaken
etretinate (Tegison)orhumanpituitary-derivedgrowthhormone.
5. If I have traveledinthe UnitedKingdom,canI still donate blood?Notif you’ve spentthree
monthsor more cumulativelyinthe UKbetween1980 and1996.
6. Will Ihave a reactionafterdonatingblood?A few people mayexperience somenauseaand
dizzinessandmaynotice a bruise,rednessorswellingatthe needleinsertionsite.
7. May I still donate whenI’mmenstruating?Absolutely,aslongasyou feel OKanddon’thave low
ironlevels.
8. Do I needtomake any special preparationspriortodonating?Yes.Youshouldeatanddrink
heartilythe dayof your donation,avoidcaffeine andalcohol andrefrainfromexercising.You
shouldwearcomfortable clothingandbringa picture IDto the donationsite.
9. What shouldIdo if I become sickor discoversomethingthatmaymake the transfusionharmful
to a patientafterI’ve alreadydonatedblood?Immediatelycall the bloodcenterwhere you
donatedbloodsotheycan take the necessaryprecautions.
10. Do I have to knowmy bloodtype before donating?No.The bloodcenterwill testyourbloodto
determine itstype andwill letyouknow yourbloodtype afew daysafteryour donation.
For more informationvisitusourwebsite:http://www.healthinfi.com