Frequently Asked Questions - Donating Blood

As you know, blood is a life saving medicine, which works wonders in certain medical treatments, and life threatening situations. It is an in emergency medicine. Our society is today threatened by scarcity of voluntary blood donors. The only source of blood right now is human beings. The issue has got further complexes by the professional donors, who donate blood for money. These donors have contributed towards rapid spread of killer diseases like AIDS, Hepatitis B and hepatitis C in the society. WHO strongly recommends voluntary blood donation. Your regular donation will go a long way in salvaging the situation.

• Ensure that you have slept well
• Drink a lot of water and eat something substantial and healthy.
• Do not smoke within 2 hours of donating.
• Do not consume alcoholic drinks within 12 hours of donation
• Relax!

• Age: 18-60 years

• Weight: At least 45kgs for men as well as women

• Well-Being: Must feel healthy that particular day (i.e. must not have a cold or cough or must not be on any medication)

• Haemoglobin: Minimum 12.5 mg/dl

Giving blood is a very simple and straight forward process.

• On arrival at a blood bank, you will be asked to fill a few details on a donor form.

• After you pass this simple medical screening process, you will be escorted to a blood donation area. The actual blood donation takes about 10 minutes.

• While the blood is being taken you must keep pressing the sponge provided. That ensures good blood circulation.

• Please do not get up immediately after donating blood. You must allow the blood flow in the body to normalize by lying down for 5 more minutes. This also prevents dizziness.

• This is followed by a little refreshment.

• Please do not forget to collect your certificate of appreciation.

• You can resume with your daily work immediately after donation.

• The blood you donate is tested and separated into components before being made available to the patients.

• Any abnormality found is reported to you if you have chosen to receive the same.

• Eat and Drink 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.
• 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 next day.
• Do not take stairs immediately.
• Do not go for any rigorous exercise for next 24 hrs especially lifting heavy weight from the ground after you donated blood.

In modern medicine there is no room for whole blood. Developed countries have switched over to blood components for more than 20 years. Unfortunately in India still 95% of the blood is used as whole blood. By making blood components, all the useful parts of blood can be used. In whole blood, platelets die and clotting factors become ineffective and the patient receives unwanted and ineffective components.

The three components of blood are Packed cells, Plasma and Platelets. The specific requirements of these components are:

• Packed cells (life span of 20-40 days) - In case of anemia, Blood loss due to bleeding.
• Plasma (life span of more than a year) - For clotting disorder.
• Platelets (life span of 5-6 days) - Low platelets count, Clotting disorders, Dengue fever, Burn cases, etc.

Safe blood does not only depend on application of science and technology but also on you. It is impossible to screen blood for all the possible diseases and infections. Therefore a donor registration form has been provided to you. Please fill this form very carefully. If you have any reason to suspect that you may not be an eligible blood donor, please feel absolutely free to clarify the same with the staff. It is us who can ensure a regular and safe supply of blood.

Blood donation gives, a proud feeling of touching someone’s life in such a beautiful way. Its an experience that no words can define. You have to donate blood yourself to find out. By keeping the blood line flowing, you will greatly contribute towards a healthier, happier society. Do remember, any one may require blood any time. Including ourselves and our dear ones.

We keep the information you provide us strictly confidential. The information is used for no purpose other than stated.

That is impossible. Only sterile disposables are used to collect your blood. These disposables can be used only one time. This totally eliminates any remote chance of catching any disease from blood donation.

No ! Not really. Do ask any regular blood donor about it. A small percentage of first time donors may psychologically feel a little dizzy but only for a few minutes. Staff at the blood drive will ensure that your first blood donation is a happy experience. We are sure this will make you a regular blood donor. In fact there are many people who have donated more than 100 times in their life time.

It reduces the chances of ischemic heart diseases (beginning of heart problems) as frequent donations reduce the accumulated and unwanted iron load from the body.

Anything, but preferably something. Eating light snacks and a drink (nonalcoholic) before blood donation makes you psychologically more comfortable.

Yes!. If only 3% of our people started donating blood regularly, there would be no blood shortage. You can help in a big way by promoting voluntary blood donation. Encourage your friends, family members and colleagues to come forwards and donate blood regularly. Whenever possible arrange for a blood donation camp.If we achieve 100% voluntary blood donation, then blood
transfusion will become safer and much better.

No!. Most of the reasons for asking a donor not to donate are based on temporary medical conditions. There are some medical problems which have a defer period in which you will not be allowed to donate blood. It is best to ask the staff and find out when next will you be in a position to donate.

Eligible donors (any body between 18 to 60 years of age and leading a healthy life) with weight above 50 kgs. can donate up to 450 ml of blood. Your body can replenish this volume within 24 hours.

The amount of blood which can be donated is based on the weight:
45 - 55 kgs: 350 ml.
More than 55 kgs: 450 ml.

• Blood Donation Is Good to Reduce the chance of heart diseases
• Enhance the production of new Red Blood Cells
• Helps in fighting hemochromitosis
• Burns calories
• Invigorated feeling in elderly people
• Basic blood test is done

Read More

In the past, type O Blood was given to virtually anyone except those that were termed 'rare' Blood. Donors of Blood group O were always referred to as 'universal donors'. Today, because of new research and a better understanding of the complex issues regarding immune reaction related to incompatible donor Blood cells, type O Blood is no longer seen suitable.

There is no "Universal Donor."
With further research, it was seen that even O- donors have some antibodies in their blood that can cause reactions in the recipients. Doctors/nurses now combine or cross-match a small sample of the donor's blood with that of the recipient's to check if they are compatible.

The terms universal donor and universal recipient are an over-simplification, because they only consider possible reactions of the recipient's anti-A and anti-B antibodies to transfused red blood cells, and also possible sensitization to RhD antigens (the Rhesus factor or Rhesus D antigens

Read More

Possible reasons for low levels of hb:
Malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies of iron, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin B6
Red blood cell destruction due to a transfusion reaction
Haemorrhage (bleeding)
Lead poisoning
Excessive intake of fluids (over hydration – temporary dilution of haemoglobin level)

Possible reasons for higher levels of Hb:
Congenital heart disease
Lung diseases like cor pulmonale and lung fibrosis
Polycythemia vera or increased RBC formation due to excess of erythropoietin.

Whole blood donors may give once every three months in order to allow plenty of time to replenish their red cells. Apheresis platelet donors can donate more frequently, as much as every seven days, up to 24 times per year, because the platelet and plasma components are replaced in the body more quickly than red cells. Blood volume or plasma is replaced within 24 hours. Red cells need about 4-5 weeks for complete replacement.

The donor's blood type must be determined if the blood will be used for transfusions. The collecting agency usually identifies whether the blood is type A, B, AB, or O and the donor's Rh (D) type and will screen for antibodies to less common antigens. More testing, including a crossmatch, is usually done before a transfusion. Group O is often cited as the "universal donor" but this only refers to red cell transfusions. For plasma transfusions the system is reversed and AB is the universal donor type. Donated blood is tested by many methods, but the core tests recommended by the World Health Organization are these four: