Blood Donation Basics
Donating blood is safe and simple procedure. It takes approximately 25-30 minutes to complete the blood donation process. Any healthy adult between 18 to 60 years of age can donate blood.
A person can donate blood in blood donation camp or at a Blood Bank. If he/she donates blood voluntarily without expecting anything in cash or kind in return then he/she is termed as “Voluntary Donor” and if the donation is to replace the blood unit given to known patient/relative then the donor is a “Replacement Donor”. The blood collected from the regular voluntary donor is the safest for recipient.
A person can donate whole blood or a component of blood by a process called aphresis. In aphresis, blood is withdrawn from a donor in anticoagulant solution and separated into components, one (or more) component is retained and the remaining constituents are re-transfused simultaneously into the said donor.
Blood donor selection is based on medical history and limited medical examination done just prior to blood donation. Donor history questionnaire is designed keeping in mind the protection of donor and recipient. The aim is to make sure that it should not harm the donor and the recipient.
A. Questions for Protection of Donor:
- Are you feeling well and healthy today?
- Did you sleep well last night?
- When have you taken your last meal/snacks?
- Have you donated blood before?
- If yes, did you feel any inconvenience during or after donation?
- When was your last blood donation?
- In the past 12 months, have you been under a doctor’s care or had a major illness, surgery or received blood transfusion?
- Have you ever suffered from any of the following:
1. Heart diseases / hypertension
2. Diabetes
3. Asthma
4. Kidney disease
5. Fainting attack / epilepsy
6. Cancer
7. Bleeding disorders like hemophilia
For Female Donors
- Are you pregnant or are you giving breast-feeding?
- Did you have any abortion or miscarriage in the last six months
B. To protect the recipients:
- In the past six months did you have malaria, dental extraction, acupuncture, ear/nose piercing, tattoo?
- In the past one year did you have jaundice, typhoid or taken anti rabies vaccine?
- In the past six month did you have any of the following
1. Unexplained loss of weight (4.5 kg in a month)
2. Profuse night sweats (Recurring sweating at night which wets the bed)
3. Fever of more than 990F lasting several days or week and / or recurring frequently
4. Blue / Purple spots on or under the skin or in mouth
5. Long lasting white spots in the mouth
6. Swollen lymph nodes (Lump in the neck or arm-pit or groin) lasting more than a month
7. Persistent diarrhea (more than a month), in spite of adequate treatment (Persisting more than a month)
- Have you ever tested positive for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or HIV?
- During the past three days have you taken aspirin or anything that had aspirin in it
C. Donor Eligibility Criteria:
The below mentioned criteria are to be followed for donor selection:
- Age: Between 18-60years
- Body Weight: Min. 45kg and Above. For collection of 450ml of blood, the minimum weight of donor should be 55 kg
- Hb level: minimum 12.5 g/dl
- Pulse: between 50-100/min
- Temperature: Should not exceed 37˚C.
- Blood Pressure:
1. Diastolic pressure: should not exceed 100mm/Hg
2. Systolic pressure: to be decided by B.T.O keeping in mind the psychological factors of the donor and presence of other associated cardio-vascular disease, medication etc. But it should not exceed 180mm/Hg
D. Self Exclusion Instructions:
If any of the following information is applicable, no blood donation is to be done as it might harm the patient who receives it.
- If you ever had a positive test for Hepatitis (HBsAg, Anti-HCV, Anti-HBc)
- If you have AIDS or one of its Signs or Symptoms which include:
1. Unexplained weight loss (4-5 Kg or more in less than 2 months)
2. Profuse night sweats (Recurring sweating at night which wets the bed sheet)
3. Blue/purple spots on or under the skin or in the mouth
4. Long lasting white spots in the mouth
5. Swollen lymph nodes (lump in the neck or armpit or groin) lasting more than a month
6. Fever of greater than 99° F lasting several days or week and/or recurring frequently
7. Persistent diarrhea (more than a month), in spite of adequate treatment (persisting for more than a month)
8. You have ever tested positive for AIDS or the AIDS Virus (Anti-HIV)
- You have multiple Sex-partners
- You are a man who has had sex with a female Sex worker
- You are a woman or man who has been a Sex worker
- If you have ever taken illegal intravenous drugs
- In the past six months did you have malaria, dental extraction, acupuncture, ear/nose piercing, tattoo?
- In the past one year did you have jaundice, typhoid or taken anti rabies vaccine?
- You are a hemophilic who has been transfused anti-hemophilic factor concentrate
- During the past three days have you taken aspirin or anything that had aspirin in it
E. Temporary Deferral for the Period Indicated Below:
If the following are applicable, postpone blood donation till the period mentioned against each,
- Jaundice: 1 Year
- Attack of Malaria: 6 months
- Abortion: 3 months
- Pregnancy - 12 months after delivery.
- Breast feeding: 12 months after stopping Breast feeding.
- History of Blood Transfusion: 6 months
- Major Surgery with Transfusion: 1 Year
- Any other Surgery : 6 months
- Immunization (Typhoid, Cholera, Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Plague): 15 Days
- Immunoglobulin Rabies Vaccination / Dog bite: 12 months
- Tattoo / Ear piercing / Dental examination: 6 months
- Drugs and vaccination (Antibiotic / Steroid / Aspirin / Alcohol): 72 hours
Permanent Deferral
- HIV Positive
- Signs and symptoms of AIDS
- Unexplained weight loss
- Unexplained jaundice
- Cancer
- Open heart surgery including bypass surgery
- Cerebrovascular accident
- Hepatitis other than Hepatitis A, positive for HBs antigen, HCV
- Epilepsy
- Chronic renal failure
- Abnormal bleeding tendency or coagulation disorder like hemophilia
- Severe allergic disorder
- Intravenous drug abusers
- Endocrinal disorders like uncontrolled or insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
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