(You can download the below information about Blood Donation in a pdf format. Click the following link it will take you to a google group page where you can find the pdf document called 'Donating Blood'. Right click and save the file - Donating Blood.pdf )
FACTS
There are four main blood types: A, B, AB and O. The gift of blood is the gift of life. There is no substitute for human blood. Every year our nation requires about 4 Crore units of blood, out of which only a meager 40 Lakh units of blood are available. One blood donation can save as many as three lives. One unit of blood can be separated into several components.
Donating Blood
Q: What are blood groups?
A: Every individual has two types of blood groups. The first is called the ABO - grouping and the second type is called Rh - grouping. In the ABO - group there are four categories namely A Group, B Group, O Group and AB Group. In the Rh - Group either the individual is Rh-positive, or Rh-negative. Rh is a factor called as Rhesus factor that has come to us from Rhesus monkeys.Thus each and very human being will fall in one of the following groups.
A positive or A negative
B positive or B negative
O positive or O negative
AB positive or AB negative
There are also some sub groups as well as a few other classifications.
Q: What is a unit of blood?
A: Blood is collected in plastic bags which contain a watery fluid which prevents blood from getting coagulated. On an average we draw about 350 or 450 ml. of blood from a person, depending on the weight of the donor. A person with body weight between 45-55kgs can donate 350ml of blood. 450 ml of blood can be donated by person with more than 55kgs body weight. This blood, plus the amount of anti coagulant present in the bottle or bag, is known as one unit of blood.
Q: How long can blood be stored?
A: Whole blood can be stored up to 35 days, when kept in CPDA anti coagulant solution and refrigerated at 2 - 4 deg C. But the demand is so great that blood hardly ever remains in storage for so long and is used much before expiry.
Q: In which situations do people generally donate blood?
A: There are three types of blood donors: -
(1) PROFESSIONAL DONORS - They sell their blood, which is of very poor quality and can transmit very dangerous diseases to the recipient. It is illegal to take blood from any professional donor.
(2) REPLACEMENT DONATION - Healthy relatives and friends of the patient give their blood, of any group, to the blood bank. In exchange, the required number of units in the required blood group is given.
(3) VOLUNTARY DONATION- Here a donor donates blood voluntarily. The blood can be used for any patient even without divulging the identity of the donor. This is the best type of blood donation where a motivated human being gives blood in an act of selfless service.
Q: Who is a healthy donor?
A: Any person within the age group of 18 - 60 years with a body weight as minimum 45 kgs, and having hemoglobin content as minimum 12.5 gm%.
Q: Does a donor need to do anything special before donation?
A: The donor should eat at regular mealtimes and drink plenty of fluids.
Q: How long does the donation take?
A: The procedure is done by skilled, specially trained technicians and takes three to eight minutes. However, from start to finish (filling form, post donation rest etc) the entire process should take upwards of 35 minutes.
Q: Does the needle hurt the entire time?
A: There may be a little sting when the needle is inserted, but there should be no pain during the donation.
Q: Does the donor suffer from any harmful effects after donating blood donation?
A: Absolutely not, rather a donor after having given blood voluntarily gets a feeling of great pleasure, peace and bliss. Soon, within a period of 24 - 48 hours, the same amount of new blood gets formed in the body, which helps the donor in many ways. His own body resistance improves, the circulation improves, and he himself feels healthier than before.
Q: Does a donor need to rest after donating blood?
A: Yes. The donor needs rest, preferably lying down, so that the amount of blood that has been donated soon gets poured into the circulation from the body pools in a natural way. The donor should take it easy for about 15 - 20 minutes.
Q: Can a donor work after donating blood?
A: Of course! Routine work is absolutely fine after the initial rest. Rigorous physical work should be avoided for a few hours.
Q: What special diet should a donor follow after giving blood?
A: After resting for a while a donor is given some liquid (fluid) to take. It may be a cup of coffee or milk or fruit juice along with a few biscuits or fruit. The donor needs no other special diet. A routine balanced diet is adequate. The donor's blood gets replenished within 24 - 48 hours.
Q: How long will it take for the body to replenish the blood?
A: The body replaces blood volume or plasma within 24 hours. Red cells need about four to eight weeks for complete replacement.
Q: How frequently a donor can donate blood?
A: Three months time between donations is a very safe interval.
Q: Do any diseases debar a donor from giving blood?
A: Yes, if the donor has suffered from any of the under-mentioned diseases: -
Fever: He should not have suffered from fever for the past 15 days.
Jaundice: A donor should not have his blood tested positive for AUSTRALIA, ANTIGEN. (Different types of Jaundice have different restrictions. In case of normal jaundice 1 year is the deferral time. But its best to discuss with the doctor in blood bank before donating)
Blood transmitted diseases: Like Syphilis, Malaria, Filaria etc. debar a donor from donating blood till he is treated and is free from them.
Drugs: If a donor is taking drugs like Aspirin, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetics, hormones, corticosteroids etc., he is unfit to donate blood.
AIDS: No person having HIV positive can be allowed to donate blood.
Q: Are there any other benefits of blood donation?
A: Yes, blood donation is a noble, selfless service! It gives the donor a feeling of joy and contentment. Also this is an expression of love for Mankind, as blood knows no caste, colour, creed, religion or race, country, continent or sex.
Need for Blood Donation: After blood is donated what happens to it? What does it become?Your 450 ml of blood becomes a vast array of life saving products, and the source is YOU! Do you know that your single donation of 450 ml blood may be separated into different components, benefiting as many as three patients? Blood is made up of different components and, invariably, a patient needs a transfusion of just a particular component. It is now the standard practice of all modern blood banks to separate blood into components and ensure the optimum utilization of this precious resource. Whole blood has cellular components comprising red blood corpuscles, white blood corpuscles, platelets suspended in plasma solution (liquid plasma consisting of water, electrolytes, albumin, globulin, coagulation factors and other proteins). It is needed when both red cells mass and total volume must be restored, as in massive haemorrhage. Your blood may be separated into the following components
Red blood cells: These are separated shortly after collection of whole blood. The cells may be allowed to sediment or centrifugation can be used to separate cells and plasma. Needed to increase red cell mass, when symptomatic anemia is present. In chronic anemia oxygen carrying capacity is increased by transfusing red cells.
Fresh frozen plasma: Plasma is separated from the red cells and placed at -18 deg C (or below) within 8 hours of collection. Needed mostly in bleeding patients with coagulation deficiency problems secondary to liver disease, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and Factor V or Factor IX deficiency.
Platelet concentrate/ platelet rich plasma: This is prepared from a single unit of whole blood. Separation must be done within 8 hours after phlebotomy and the platelets stored at 20-24 deg C. Single donor platelet concentrate can be collected by aphaeresis. Needed in cases of bleeding due to severe thrombocytopenia and prophylactic therapy.
Donor’s
DOs
Let others benefit from your good health. Do donate blood
If...
You are between age group of 18-60 years.
Your weight is 45 kgs or more.
Your hemoglobin is 12.5 gm% minimum.
Your last blood donation was 3 months earlier.
You are healthy and have not suffered from malaria, typhoid or other transmissible disease in the recent past.
Do abide by our rules - be truthful about your health status! We ensure the health of blood, before we take it, as well as after it is collected. Firstly, the donor is expected to be honest about his or her health history and current condition. Secondly, collected blood is tested for venereal diseases, hepatitis B & C and AIDS. You have to be healthy to give 'safe blood'
DON'Ts
Do not donate blood if you have any of these conditions
Cold / fever in the past 1 week.
Under treatment with antibiotics or any other medication.
Cardiac problems, hypertension, epilepsy, diabetes (on insulin therapy), history of cancer, chronic kidney or liver disease, bleeding tendencies, venereal disease etc.
Major surgery in the last 6 months.
Vaccination in the last 24 hours.
Had a miscarriage in the last 6 months or have been pregnant /Lactating in the last one year.
Females should not donate blood if they are having heavy menstrual flow or menstrual cramps.
Had fainting attacks during last donation.
Have regularly received treatment with blood products.
Shared a needle to inject drugs/ have history of drug addiction.
Had sexual relations with different partners or with a high riskindividual.
Been tested positive for antibodies to HIV.
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