Blood Donation Facts - Facts About Blood Donation
Person above 18 years of age and over 50 Kgs. in weight can donate blood once in three months.A normal adult has five to six liters of blood in his/her body of which only 300 ml is used during blood donation.
This blood is replaced by your body within 24 to 48 hours!
No special diet, rest or medicine is required after blood donation.
The donor should not have taken any medicine in the last 48 hours.
The donor should not have contacted jaundice in the previous three years.
Every donor is given a medical checkup prior to donation to see if he/she is medically fit and doesn't suffer from anemia, high blood pressure etc.
The donor cannot contract AIDS or any other disease by donating blood.
Steps to follow before blood donation
- Eat and Drinks something before leaving
- Drink more liquids than usual in next 4 hours
- Avoid consuming alcohol until you have eating something
- Don't smoke for next 30 minutes
- Avoid climbing steps for next 30 minutes
- If there is bleeding from the phlebotomy site, raise the arm and apply pressure
- If fainting or dizziness occurs, either lie down or site with the head between the knees
- Resume all normal activities if no symptoms occur
- Remove bandage after 12 hours
Important Tips on Blood Donation
Basic Requirements for Blood Donation
- Be in generally good health and feeling well.
- Be at least 17 years of age; upper age 60.
- Weigh at least 110 pounds (45 kg).
- Pulse: 80 to 100 beats/min and regular.
- Temperature: Should not exceed 99.5 (37.5c).
- Blood Pressure: acceptable range is 160/90 to 110/60.
- Skin: the venipuncture site should be free of any lesion or scar of needle pricks indicative of addiction to narcotics or frequent Blood donation (as in the case of professional Blood donors).
Blood Donation Frequency
- Whole Blood donors may donate every 56 days.
- Plasma donors may donate twice a week (maximum every 48 hours).
- Platelet donors may donate a maximum of 24 times per year.
- Other specialized donations are subject to other rules.
Do not donate blood if
- You have ever tested positive for HIV.
- You have ever injected yourself with drugs or other substances not prescribed by a physician.
- You are a man and have had sex with another man, even once.
- You have hemophilia or another Blood clotting disorder and received clotting factor concentrate.
- You have engaged in sex for drugs or money since 1977.
- You have been held in a correctional facility (including jails, prisons and/or detention centers) for more than 72 hours in the last 12 months.