The need for blood is great — on any given day, thousands & thousands of units are needed. Blood transfusions often are needed for trauma victims — due to accidents and burns — heart surgery, organ transplants, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or other diseases, such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia. With an aging population and advances in medical treatments and procedures requiring blood transfusions, the demand for blood continues to increase.
A broad cross-section of the population donates every day voluntarily.
Patients scheduled for surgery may be eligible to donate blood for themselves, a process known as autologous blood donation. In the weeks before non-emergency surgery, an autologous donor may be able to donate blood that will be stored until the surgical procedure.
What are the criteria for blood donation?
To be eligible to donate blood, a person must be in good health and generally must be above 18 years of age. All donors must pass the physical and health history examinations given prior to donation.
Voluntary donors provide all blood used for transfusion. The donor's body replenishes the fluid lost from donation in 24 hours. It may take up to two months to replace the lost red blood cells.
Who should not donate blood?
Anyone who has ever used drugs and shared needles so.
Men who have had sexual contact with other men
Anyone who has ever received clotting factor concentrates
Anyone with a positive test for HIV (AIDS virus)
Men and women who have engaged in sex for money or drugs
Anyone who has had hepatitis
Anyone who has had babesiosis or Chagas disease
Anyone who has taken Tegison for psoriasis
Anyone who has risk factors for Crueutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) or who has an immediate family member with CJD
Anyone who has risk factors for vCJD
Talk to your doctor to learn more..
Where is blood donated?
Donation are done at community blood centers or at blood camps. Bloodindex is the new tool available which links blood requesters and voluntary donors , also to help and motivate people on donation.
Apheresis, an increasingly common procedure, is the process of removing a specific component of the blood, such as platelets, and returning the remaining components, such as red blood cells and plasma, to the donor. This process allows more of one particular part of the blood to be collected than could be separated from a unit of whole blood. Apheresis is also performed to collect red blood cells, plasma (liquid part of the blood), and granulocytes (white blood cells). The apheresis donation procedure takes longer than that for whole blood donation.
What tests are performed on donated blood?
After blood has been drawn, it is tested for ABO group (blood type) and Rh type (positive or negative), as well as for any unexpected red blood cell antibodies that may cause problems in a recipient. Screening tests also are performed for evidence of donor infection with hepatitis B and C viruses, human immunodeficiency viruses HIV-1 and HIV-2, human T-lymphotropic viruses HTLV-I and HTLV-II, and syphilis. The USFDA is allowing national deployment of investigational nucleic acid amplification tests (NAT) to screen blood for West Nile virus (WNV) genetic material -- an approach similar to that taken for NAT to detect HIV and HCV.
The following specific tests are also performed :
Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)
Hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc)
Hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV)
HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibody (anti-HIV-1 and anti-HIV-2)
HTLV-I and HTLV-II antibody (anti-HTLV-I and anti-HTLV-II)
Serologic test for syphilis
Nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) for HIV-1 and HCV
NAT for WNV
How is blood stored and used?
Each unit of whole blood normally is separated into several components. Red blood cells may be stored under refrigeration for a maximum of 42 days, or they may be frozen for up to 10 years. Red cells carry oxygen and are used to treat anemia. Platelets are important in the control of bleeding and are generally used in patients with leukemia and other forms of cancer. Platelets are stored at room temperature and may be kept for a maximum of five days. Fresh frozen plasma, used to control bleeding due to low levels of some clotting factors, is kept in a frozen state for usually up to one year. Cryoprecipitated AHF, which contains only a few specific clotting factors, is made from fresh frozen plasma and may be stored frozen for up to one year. Granulocytes are sometimes used to fight infections, although their efficacy is not well established. They must be transfused within 24 hours of donation.
Q Can I donate if take some drugs and medication?
A Do tell your doctor at the blood camp if you're on any kind of medication. Inform thme of the Medicines, pills, injections, anything. Some of these may affect your blood and mean can't take up donation for now. be transparent.
Q Can I take a friend?
A Please do. The more the merrier, also advise them to join Bloodindex
Q How often can I give blood?
Usually 3 times a year, which comes to roughly every 16 weeks.
Q How will giving blood affect my health?
A If you're fit and healthy, you shouldn't experience any problems whatsoever.
Q What if I develop an infection after I donate?
A If you become unwell within two weeks of your donation, or if you believe there's any reason why your blood shouldn't be transfused to a patient,contact your doctor immediately.
Q What can I do before and after giving blood?
A Drink loads of liquid before and after you donate - and not the alcoholic variety please. Eat your regular meals too, and do let us know if you've skipped a meal on the day.
Q Can I smoke after giving blood?
A Probably best that you don't for about two hours after donating, as it might make you feel dizzy or faint.
Q Can I go back to work on the same day?
A Unfortunately the answer is yes. However, it's unwise to give blood just before undertaking a hazardous hobby or job, such as driving a crane or driving in the emergency services.
Q I gave up smoking and I am using patches, will I still be able to give blood?
A Yes, probably. If you suffer from any symptoms as a result of quitting, we suggest you only give blood once those symptoms have passed.
Most patches, nasal sprays and gum do not prevent you from giving blood but bring them along to the session and discuss with the doctor before donation.
Q I sometimes take tranquillisers. Does this prevent me from giving blood?
A The medical staff at the donation point will need to see what medication you are on, so bring it with you. The nurse or doctor may have a quick chat with you about your medication and any underlying condition, but in the vast majority of cases tranquillisers do not stop you from giving blood.
Q Ear piercing, body piercing or tattooing done within 6 months, Can I donate blood?
A There is always an infection risk whenever the skin is pierced, and tattooing means lots of piercing. You MUST tell the medical doctor at the donating camp if you have had ear piercing, body piercing or tattooing, or have had acupuncture as your donation will need an additional blood test.
Q I have started taking 75mg of aspirin a day to thin my blood and help prevent heart attacks. Will this affect my ability to donate blood?
A You can donate blood but, because aspirin may affect platelet function, your donation will not be used for preparing platelets. That is why it is always important to inform the doctor at the doantion center if you are taking any over the counter medication regularly.
Q I am a vegetarian, can I give blood?
A There is no problem with vegetarians giving blood. The red blood cells, which require iron from the stores in your body, will need to be replaced after the donation. Provided you eat a well-balanced diet you should be able to replenish your iron supply within a month.
