Consequences after blood donation. Is it safe for my health to donate whole blood and blood components?

Publication date: 07/26/2013

Since prehistoric times, it has been known that a significant loss of blood leads to death. The desire to restore balance for the sake of saving lives seems quite logical. However, the lack of understanding of human physiology in ancient times led to the wrong actions of primitive healers. The latter offered a person who had lost a lot of blood to drink the blood of an animal to restore the loss.

In an era much closer to ours, namely, in the 17th century, attempts were made to transfuse blood from an animal to a person. However, such attempts led to even more dramatic results than those of the ancients. If the amount of blood lost was not critical and the person drank the blood of an animal for his healing, then he still had a chance to survive. While with the introduction of the blood of an animal into a vein, the treatment session ended with the death of the patient.

Only in the middle of the 18th century in Russia, Professor Alexei Matveyevich Filomafitsky published a "Treatise on Blood Transfusion". However, at that time nothing was known about blood types. Therefore, the practice of blood transfusion began to be introduced everywhere only from the beginning of the First World War. The appearance of the first myths “proving” the harm of blood donation belongs to the same period.

Today, donation (from the Latin word donare - which means "to give") is a voluntary, conscious donation of blood by a donor in favor of the recipient (the one who receives, receives). In this case, whole blood or its components can be donated. The donor immediately before donating blood undergoes a medical examination, including a blood test.

What is the purpose of donated blood (benefit for the recipient)

We will list individual cases in which the benefit of donation for the recipient is not only obvious, but is often the only way to save a life. Blood transfusion, which, as you know, is possible only thanks to the goodwill of donors, is used in the following situations:

• Significant blood loss due to trauma, accident, surgery, etc.
• Bleeding that can't be stopped
• severe burns
• Purulent-septic diseases
• Anemia
• Hematological diseases
• Severe toxicosis
• Difficult delivery.

Myths about the dangers of donating blood

Without trying to find out the reasons for the emergence of various misconceptions and myths around donation, we will try to figure out whether the harm of donation actually takes place. You can often hear that the donor runs the risk of infection during blood donation. In our opinion, only those who have never donated blood themselves and have not been at a blood transfusion station can say this. The fact is that the blood sampling system is disposable, hermetically packed and opened in the presence of a donor immediately before use.

Sometimes "experts" who have never donated blood say that the blood donation procedure itself takes a lot of time. In fact, it takes longer to undergo a medical examination before donating blood, and the procedure itself lasts only a few minutes. In this case, whole blood is pumped into the system in 5-8, sometimes 15 minutes. Blood components take a little longer, since the rest, after separation, is returned to the donor.
The procedure for blood sampling can be viewed here:

Some people also believe that regular donation is addictive, the body, they say, gets used to producing an excess amount of blood, and this is unhealthy. This is a common misconception that has nothing to do with reality. Dependence does not arise, excess blood is not produced, but the donor's body is in "constant combat readiness" and in case of blood loss, the donor tolerates it much easier.

Consequences of blood donation for the donor

And, despite the debunking of all fantasies and conjectures, many people quite seriously ask whether it is harmful to be a blood donor. Well, judge for yourself. Donation contributes to a healthy lifestyle, as there are special requirements for the donor. A donor who regularly donates blood also regularly undergoes a free medical examination. Any deviation from the norm will be immediately identified and treated.

Regular blood donations help to control the amount of iron, the excess of which in the blood is not good for the body. In addition, by regularly donating blood, the donor "launches the program" of rejuvenation of the body. Men are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases, women postpone the onset of menopause by several years.

Donors have a much more stable functioning of the immune system, liver, pancreas, and digestive system due to regularly renewed blood. Donors, according to statistics, live, on average, several years longer than their fellow citizens. This is due, in addition to constant monitoring of the state of health, also the emotional component. Many people already understand that giving is much more pleasant than receiving gifts. Giving blood often means giving life.

Restrictions on blood donation

Being a donor is an honor, but there is a serious list of restrictions in this business. And not because donation is harmful to the donor himself. There are simply circumstances in which donated blood can be harmful and even dangerous for the recipient. Since these circumstances are numerous, we will outline them only in general terms, more detailed information can be obtained by calling the blood transfusion station.

Briefly, the restrictions are as follows: age - at least 18 years old; local registration; the body weight of the donor must be more than 50 kg; you need to be sure that the donor is not sick and has never had some diseases (the list is impressive, so the details at the blood transfusion station).

In addition, there is a list of diseases, therapeutic procedures, surgical operations, contacts with some patients, which imposes temporary restrictions on donation. And another additional list for women (feminists, please do not strain: this is not a violation of women's rights).

On the day of blood donation and the day before, the donor is not recommended to eat fried, smoked, spicy and simply fatty foods; you should refrain from dairy products, eggs and butter. You can not take alcohol and drugs, at least 2-3 days in advance, respectively. It is strongly not recommended to donate blood on an empty stomach, but breakfast should be lean.

Immediately before donating blood at the station, the donor is offered sweet tea with biscuits. After the procedure, you should have a hearty lunch (as a rule, a free meal coupon is issued) and physical and other activities should be abandoned on this day. The rest of the day is best to devote to rest, especially since this is provided for by law.

Blood donation has become is no longer a novelty in modern times, and therefore more and more attention is paid to the development of this area in medicine. There are few people who are ready to sacrifice their blood for the life of another person, but still there are such people. But, blood is not a simple matter, it is very important that it meets certain requirements. If a person does not have serious diseases, then he may well become a donor. Of course, many people have a question regarding the topic " consequences of blood donation”, but if you were not initially sick, do not have a panic fear of the sight of blood, and you are served by experienced medical specialists, then there can be no question of any danger. The first step is to discuss everything with the doctor in order to establish your current state of health, determine which diseases can affect your blood, and how to cope with feelings of insecurity, fear and worry not only about your subsequent condition, but also about the condition of the person who will be provided help with blood transfusion.

Consider the terms of blood donation:

- Must have registration in that region where blood donation takes place. In its absence, not a single specialist will take risks and accept blood from a stranger, even if he claims to be completely healthy and ready to become a donor.

- It is necessary to make a list of those components, food products, to which the donor is allergic.

— List of past diseases and operations for the entire period.

— The age and weight of the donor should be indicated. By the way, the weight of the donor must be at least 50 kg, since it is this figure that indicates the health of the donor and the loss of a certain amount of blood will not have disastrous consequences.

- Consent to donate and confirmation that the person is familiar with all the rules.

Consequences of blood donation, can sometimes be very, very significant. If a person was once sick with HIV, had syphilis, cardiosclerosis, emphysema and other serious diseases, then there is a danger that all this will be transmitted along with the blood to the patient. There will no longer be a question of a possible recovery, since you can become the culprit in the death of a person who could have been saved, but your blood was not ready for use. in clinics where violated hygiene and rules for receiving patients there is always the possibility of getting blood poisoning. Especially if one syringe is used twice or thrice.

They give a lot of blood, but it's still not enough. Each time this figure decreases due to the fear of a person and due to distrust of doctors who take blood for transfusion. The most significant consequence for the human donor is is a decrease in red blood cells and consequently a decrease in hemoglobin levels. Therefore, in order for everything to proceed in a calm mode and a person not to worry about future well-being, he should take more calcium, eat fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as additional vitamins and minerals.

With the growing popularity of assisted reproductive technologies, the number of women who want to become an oocyte donor is increasing.

But some of them fear negative health consequences. After all, it is known that female germ cells do not go into the external environment.

That is, they have to be taken directly from the ovaries through an invasive procedure. And before that, the woman will have hormonal stimulation of superovulation. Let's talk about how dangerous it is.

There are 2 main reasons for this:

1. Desire to help other people become parents.
2. material interest. For each donated egg, the donor receives a certain monetary reward.

The AltraVita clinic offers the opportunity to participate in the program by donating your germ cells.

How is cell donation done?

Oocyte donation is a routine procedure that is safe for a woman's health.

Egg donation includes the following steps:

• Donor selection. A woman comes to the reproductive center and declares her desire to become a donor. If she meets all the criteria (age, lack of bad habits, etc.), then she can undergo a medical examination. It is carried out at the expense of the clinic. A woman is shown an ultrasound of the uterus and appendages. A potential donor passes a number of laboratory tests - for hormones, infections, general clinical studies. If the candidate meets all the requirements, she is admitted to the program.
• Stimulation of ovulation. During one menstrual cycle in a woman, only one egg matures in the ovaries. But this is not enough for donation. Therefore, the patient is prescribed special drugs to stimulate ovulation. As a result, 10-20 or more follicles can mature in her during one cycle. Most of them contain mature eggs.
• Follicle puncture. Without waiting for ovulation to occur (rupture of the follicles with the release of eggs from them), the woman undergoes a puncture of the follicles. This procedure is performed under general anesthesia. Through punctures in the ovaries, the doctor takes the eggs. Subsequently, they are frozen and used in in vitro fertilization cycles.

Consequences for the egg donor

• Complications of hormonal stimulation. The greatest concern is the process of ovulation stimulation. Because high doses of hormones often cause side effects. But in reality, a woman has nothing to fear. Even if she experiences some changes in her condition (pain in the lower abdomen, headache, lethargy, mood changes), these phenomena will be temporary. They will disappear after the drug is discontinued.
• ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Many women know that under the influence of hormones, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome can develop. But donors should hardly be afraid of him. Firstly, it often develops in women with gynecological diseases, and such women are not taken as donors. Secondly, 99% of cases of this complication occur in a mild or moderate form, which do not even require hospitalization. Hyperstimulation syndrome is manifested by abdominal discomfort, but is not life threatening.
• Weight gain. Many women are afraid of getting fat on hormones. But these fears are ridiculous. Even if the hormones do affect the metabolism, the stimulation lasts only 2 weeks. During this time, you can gain 200-300 g of fat, which will not be difficult to get rid of.
• Decreased ovarian reserve. It is known that a woman is born with a certain supply of eggs, which is never replenished. They are only consumed, and eventually run out. Will the donor have enough eggs to conceive a child of her own in the future? Let the numbers answer this question. At the time of puberty, a woman has an average of 300,000 eggs in her ovaries. You are going to donate 10-15 oocytes to the reproduction center. As you can see, this is a small fraction of the reserves that you have.

Thus, real negative consequences for the egg donor are unlikely. You can take part in the donation program without fear of health risks.

Potential risks

Despite the safety of the procedure and constant monitoring by doctors, certain side effects can be identified that may occur in women who decide to become oocyte donors.

These include:

• Edema.
• Headache.
• emotional lability.
• Local bruising.

All side effects are rare and completely reversible. In any case, the donor after aspiration remains under medical supervision. If any problems arise, the woman immediately receives medical assistance.

Egg donation at the AltraVita clinic is a safe procedure. Any consequences of egg donation for the donor are excluded. The procedure for taking oocytes does not affect a person's ability to have children, his daily rhythm of life, and does not cause pain. Helping people is easy. It is enough to contact the AltraVita clinic to donate germ cells.

I decided to figure it out Is blood donation good or bad? since I am an active donor, donated blood for donation 5 times already in just over a year. I always thought it was for my own good. I endured the first donation of blood very easily, there were no negative consequences, no dizziness, no weakness. I also easily endured the donation of blood for the next 3 times, and for 5 times I felt a little weak the next day after the donation, and I even had to sleep a couple of hours during the day (fortunately, after donating blood, they give two days of rest from work), although immediately after the donation, as usual felt great. This worried me a little, and I decided to look on RuNet about the benefits or harms of blood donation for the body. And what is surprising is that I did not find specific and reliable materials, I had to search foreign sites, and now I can present the results of my research to my readers.

I conducted a serious search on medical research available on PABMED, as well as other open sources about and found out how useful it is to donate blood or is it harmful to the body, I am glad to present my findings to readers further.

Is blood donation good for preventing heart disease?

It is known that one of the complex risk factors for cardiovascular diseases is blood viscosity. With thick and viscous, excessive friction on the blood vessels is created, blood circulation worsens and the so-called blood hemodynamics decreases. This, in turn, increases the risk of blood clots in the blood vessels, and blood clots, clogging the blood vessels, can lead to various pathologies and even to sudden cardiac arrest and sudden death. Blood viscosity can be reduced by regularly donating blood. When you donate blood, you reduce the level of iron in the blood, which causes oxidative stress, which is also detrimental to the cardiovascular system. Donating blood reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes. In the study, published in journal of the american medical association The researchers found that people aged 43 to 61 who donated blood twice a year had fewer heart attacks and strokes. In the study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, scientists described that out of 2682 men in Finland, hosted participation in the study, the risk of heart attacks was reduced by 88 percent in those who donated blood at least once a year.

Is blood donation good for reducing the risk of cancer?

Reducing iron in the blood when donating blood may reduce the risk of developing cancer, according to a 4.5-year study of 1200 people, the results of the study are published in the Journal of the US National Cancer Institute. The people who participated in the study were divided into 2 groups: in the first, the subjects donated blood 2 times a year, thereby reducing the level of iron, in the second, no changes in lifestyle were applied.

According to the results of the study, it turned out that in the first group, the studied people had a lower risk of cancer and mortality (including the risk of cancer: liver, lung, colon, and throat cancer) due to a decrease in oxidative stress, caused elevated iron levels in the blood.

Is donation good for weight loss?

People burn approximately 650 calories from a single blood donation (450 ml), according to the University of California, San Diego. A donor who donates blood regularly can lose a lot of weight. The benefit of this can only be for people who are overweight, and for donors with normal weight, you need to be very careful about this, since in order to donate blood you need to keep your weight unchanged and not allow excessive weight loss.

Types of blood donation by purpose

When donating blood, one of the most common goals is:

• allogeneic- with this type of donation, blood is donated for storage in a blood bank, i.e. a person donates blood for an unknown donor for whom blood will ever be needed.
• Target donation- it is used when blood is urgently needed, for example, for a relative, if an accident occurs or during an operation with a large blood loss (this usually requires a match of blood types, so such donation is possible only between relatives).
• Substitute— blood is donated to replace the dose taken in the blood bank, while the relative of the donor receives a dose from the blood bank of absolutely any necessary group.
• autologous- with this type, blood is taken before the operation and returned back to the donor himself after it is completed.

Types of blood donation according to the received DONOR material

There are several types of blood donation, different in the material received, for further transfusion to those in need, all of them can be done at the blood donation center, but you may have contraindications for some of them, so it is always better to consult a doctor. I will list their types, and briefly talk about them about each:

• Whole blood collection- the main and most common type of donation, with which blood is simply taken from a vein, without the use of additional devices, the procedure usually takes no more than 10-15 minutes.
• Taking blood plasma - plasma cut: a blood drawer is used, after which it separates the whole blood components from the plasma, the plasma is stored, and the blood components are pumped back to the donor after passing through a special filter. The procedure takes about an hour.
• Receiving blood platelets - afaresis: a special device is used, which first takes whole blood from the donor. Then the blood is divided into components using a special one, at this moment platelets are separated from the blood, after which the plasma and other blood components are transfused back to the donor, this whole procedure is quite lengthy and can take from 1.5 to 2 hours.
• Getting red blood cells: special devices are used that take blood from a donor, after which they separate red blood cells from the blood and immediately pour blood back, this procedure is much faster than taking blood for platelets - about half an hour.

Harm of blood donation

If a person is in good health, usually, harm and negative consequences of donating blood is usually not observed, it was determined that negative consequences occur in no more than 2% of all people who donated blood. The most common of all negative consequences is fainting due to a sharp drop in blood pressure and the occurrence of a bruise at the site of a vein puncture (for example, I never even had a bruise). The study shows that out of 194,000 people, handed over blood serious long-term negative complications were observed in only one person.

How to prepare for blood donation?

On the eve of the day before donating blood, you need to follow certain rules, eat only certain foods and not be zealous with physical activity and not deny yourself a good sleep.

It is forbidden to eat:

• Sausages, any smoked products
• Chocolate
• nuts
• Dates
• Milk, cottage cheese
• Any oil and butter and vegetable

What can you eat before donating blood?

No need to donate blood on an empty stomach! It is a must to eat. Can be eaten before donating blood any carbohydrates: oatmeal without oil, pasta, all this can be eaten with sugar (yes, even despite its harm, it is recommended before blood donation). You can drink sweet tea - usually in blood centers, staff always provide the opportunity to drink tea and eat sweet biscuits before blood donation.

Restrictions after donating blood

After donating blood for donation, the center's staff recommend sitting for 10-15 minutes without getting up anywhere, so that the pressure is leveled and there is no dizziness. On the day of delivery, it is better not to engage in hard physical work and sports. After the procedure, it is necessary to drink plenty of water to restore the volume of fluid in the body, as well as eat well. It is not recommended to engage in heavy physical labor or physical work after blood donation, it is also better to avoid visiting the bathhouse after blood donation.

How to quickly recover blood and its components after donation?

During the blood donation procedure, the volume of taking is very small; no more than 450 ml of whole blood is taken per donation.

According to researchers, blood volume is restored within 48 hours, and all red blood cells and platelets contained in blood during 4-8 weeks (therefore, it is allowed to donate whole blood no more often than after 8 weeks).

On my own, I can add that, personally, I am additionally encouraged to go donate blood for donation every 2–3 months, this is something that with such a simple action I can save someone's life. The American Red Cross Association has calculated that if you start donating blood at the age of 17 every 56 days, then by the age of 76, 48 liters of blood will be donated - which can save up to 1 thousand human lives!

Summing up, I want to say: medical research clearly shows that blood donation is useful, the negative consequences and harm are negligible, and the benefits both for society and for the donor himself is very tangible, thus, any person simply needs to donate blood regularly - if there are no medical contraindications, about which you need to consult your therapist.

blood donation(donation) is the act of voluntarily donating one's hematopoietic products for use in transfusion and/or as biopharmaceuticals in a process called fractionation (separation of whole tissue components). In this case, both whole blood and specific components are used directly (in a process called apheresis). Banks often take part in the collection process, as well as the procedures that follow it.

In the developed world, most donors are unpaid volunteers (voluntary non-remunerated repeat donation) who donate blood to the community. In poorer countries, prescribed supplies are limited and donations usually occur when family members or friends of the donor require a transfusion (referral donation). For many donors, donating blood is an act of charity, and in countries where paid donation is allowed, some people get paid for it, but there are other incentives besides money, such as paid leave from work. You can also donate blood for your own use in the future (in the case of autologous donation). Donating blood is relatively safe, but some donors may experience bruising at the injection site or feel weak.

Potential donors are evaluated for anything that could make their blood unsafe to use. Screening includes testing for diseases potentially transmitted by blood transfusion, including HIV and viral hepatitis. The donor must also answer questions about their medical history and undergo a short medical examination to ensure that the process is not dangerous to their health. The frequency of blood donation can vary from a few days to months based on gender and country laws. For example, in the US, donors must wait 8 weeks (56 days) between donations of whole blood and only 7 days between platelet apheresis.

The volume of donated blood and methods vary. Collection can be done manually or with automatic equipment that only accepts certain pieces of tissue. Most of the components used for transfusion have a short shelf life and maintaining a constant supply is a challenge. This has led to some increased interest in autotransfusion, a process in which a patient's blood is stored during surgery for continuous re-infusion or alternatively "surrendered to himself" before being needed. Donation does not generally refer to giving to oneself, although the word has become somewhat acceptable idiomatic in this context.

The process of donating blood and its types

Donation is divided into groups depending on who will receive the collected blood. "Allogeneic" (also "homologous") donation involves the donation of blood for storage in a special bank for transfusion to an unknown recipient. A "directed" donation is when a person, often a family member, donates a donation to a specific person for transfusion. Directed donation is relatively rare when there is a supply. Replacement donation is a hybrid of the two processes and is common in developing countries such as Ghana. In this case, a friend or family member of the recipient donates blood to replace that already stored and used in a transfusion, ensuring a consistent supply. When a person has a supply of blood that will be transfused back to the donor at a later date, usually after surgery, this is called "autologous" donation. Blood that is used to make medicines can be collected in an allogeneic donation or a donation used exclusively for manufacturing.

It is sometimes harvested using techniques similar to therapeutic bloodletting, similar to ancient bloodletting practices used to treat conditions such as hereditary hemochromatosis or polycythemia. This blood is sometimes considered to be donated, but may be immediately rejected if it cannot be used for transfusion or further production.

The process itself varies in accordance with the legislation of the country, and recommendations for donors depend on the collecting organization. The World Health Organization (WHO) makes recommendations for donation policy, but in developing countries many of them are not followed. For example, recommended assays require laboratory equipment, trained personnel, and specialized reagents, but these may not be available or costly in developing countries.

In the West, an event in which donors come to donate allogeneic blood is sometimes called a "blood drive" ("donor day") or "donor session". It can also be done at a blood bank, but often in a public place such as a shopping mall, workplace, school, or house of worship.

Video about donating blood

Screening

The donor is usually required to consent to the process, and this requirement means that a minor cannot become one without the permission of a parent or guardian. In some countries, responses are related to the donor's blood, but without a name to ensure anonymity; in others, such as the US, the names are kept to create lists of unsuitable donors. If a potential donor does not meet these criteria, blood donation for him is “postponed”. This term is used because many donors who are not eligible to donate blood may be allowed to donate later. In the US, blood banks may be required to designate a material if it comes from a therapeutic donor. Therefore, some do not accept material from donors with any blood disease. Others, such as the Australian Red Cross Blood Service, accept tissue from people with hemochromatosis. This is a genetic disease that does not affect the safety of the hematopoietic product.

The race and nationality of the donor is sometimes important, as some blood types, especially rare ones, are more common in certain ethnic groups. Historically, donors have not been segregated or excluded based on race, religion, or ethnicity, but this is no longer standard practice.

Recipient safety

Donors are screened for health risks that could make donating blood unsafe for the recipient. Some of these restrictions are controversial, such as those that restrict donation from men who have sex with men because of the risk of HIV infection. In 2011, the UK (excluding Northern Ireland) reduced its general ban on such donors to a narrower one that would only prevent them from donating blood if they had sex with other men in the past year. US Senator John Kerry sought an end to a similar 28-year ban in the US. Autologous donors are not always screened for a recipient safety issue because the donor is the only person who will receive the material. Questions are also asked about taking medications such as dutasteride, as they can be dangerous for a pregnant woman who is receiving blood.

Donors are screened for signs and symptoms of diseases potentially transmitted by transfusion, such as HIV, malaria and viral hepatitis. Screening may include questions about risk factors for various diseases, such as travel to countries with a threat of malaria or a variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). Every country has different questions. For example, blood centers in Quebec, Poland, and many other places ditch donors who have lived in the United Kingdom because of the risk of vCJD, and donors in the UK are restricted only because of the risk of vCJD if they received transfusions in the UK.

Donor safety

The donor is also examined and answers specific questions about their medical history to ensure that the donation is not dangerous to their health. They do a hematocrit or hemoglobin test to make sure blood loss does not cause anemia, and this test is the most common reason for rejection. Pulse, blood pressure and body temperature are also measured. Elderly donors are sometimes also delayed due to age-related health problems. The safety of donation during pregnancy has not been thoroughly studied, and pregnant women tend to be delayed.

Analyzes

If the donor's blood will be used for transfusion, it is necessary to determine its group. Collection agencies usually identify the group as type A, B, AB or O and Rh (D) type and screen for antibodies and less common antigens. Additional tests, including cross-compatibility, are usually done before transfusion. Group O is often cited as a "universal donor", but this only applies to RBC transfusions. For plasma transfusion, on the contrary, the AB group is the universal type of donor.

In most cases, blood is tested for diseases, including some STDs. The tests used are highly sensitive screening tests and no actual diagnosis is made. Later, some results are found to be false, and in these cases a more specific analysis is used. False-negative results are rare, but donors are discouraged from donating blood for the purpose of anonymous STD screening because a false-negative result could indicate a contaminated device. If the results are positive, the blood is usually discarded, but there are some exceptions such as autologous donations. The donor is usually told the result of the test.

There are many tests for donated blood, but the main ones recommended by WHO are:

• Hepatitis B surface antigen
• Antibodies to hepatitis C
• HIV antibodies, usually subtypes 1 and 2
• Serological tests for syphilis

In 2006, WHO reported that 56 of the 124 countries surveyed did not use these baselines for all donor material.

Many other tests for bloodborne infections are often used depending on local requirements. Additional testing is expensive, and in some cases tests are not performed due to costs. These additional tests include other infectious diseases such as West Nile virus. Sometimes multiple tests are used for the same disease to cover the limitations of each. For example, an HIV antibody test does not detect a recently infected donor, so some blood banks use a p24 antigen or HIV nucleic acid test in addition to a basic antibody test to detect infected donors during this period. Cytomegalovirus is a special case in donor testing in that many donors will test positive for it. The virus is not dangerous to a healthy recipient, but may harm infants and other recipients with weakened immune systems.

Getting blood

There are two main ways to receive blood from a donor. The most common is a simple vein harvesting in the form of a solid material. This blood is usually divided into parts, erythrocytes and plasma, since most recipients only need a specific component for transfusion. A typical donation volume is 450 ml of whole blood, although 500 ml is also common. Historically, donors in India have donated only 250 or 350 ml, and donors in the PRC have only donated 200 ml, although larger volumes of 300 and 400 ml have become more common.

Another method is to take blood from a donor, separate it with a centrifuge or filter, save the right part, and return the rest to the donor. This process, called apheresis, is often carried out using a machine specially designed for this purpose. It is especially characteristic of plasma and platelets.

For direct transfusions, a vein may be used, but blood may be taken from an artery instead. In this case, it is not stored, but is pumped directly from the donor to the recipient. This was an early method of transfusion that is rarely used in modern practice. It was discontinued during World War II due to logistical problems, and doctors returning to civilian life after treating wounded soldiers set up blood banks.

Site preparation and blood sampling

Blood is taken from a large vein in the arm close to the skin, usually from the middle cubital vein on the inside of the elbow. The skin over the blood vessel is cleaned with an antiseptic, such as iodine or chlorhexidine, to prevent skin bacteria from contaminating the collected blood and to prevent infections at the site where the needle pierces the donor's skin.

A large needle (16-17 gauge) is used to minimize shear forces that can physically damage red blood cells as they flow through the needle. Sometimes a tourniquet is wrapped around the upper arm to increase blood pressure in the brachial vein and speed up the process. The donor may also be asked to hold the object and squeeze it several times to increase blood flow through the veins.

One piece material

In the most common method, the blood from the donor's vein is collected into a container. Its amount varies from 200 to 550 ml depending on the country, but the characteristic volume is 450-500 ml. The blood is usually stored in a flexible plastic bag which also contains sodium citrate, phosphate, dextrose, and sometimes adenine. This combination prevents it from clotting and preserves it during storage. Sometimes other chemicals are added during processing.

Plasma from whole material can be used to prepare plasma for transfusion, or it can also be processed into other products through a process called fractionation. This was the development of dried plasma used to treat the wounded during World War II, and variants of the process are still used to make a variety of other medicines.

apheresis

Apheresis is a method of donating blood in which it is passed through a machine that separates one specific component and returns the remainder to the donor. The normally recovered component is erythrocytes, the longest recoverable part. With this method, a person can donate plasma or platelets much more often than whole blood. They can be combined, i.e. the donor donates plasma and platelets at the same time.

Platelets can also be separated from whole material, but they must be pooled from multiple donations. A therapeutic dose requires 3-10 units of whole blood. plateletpheresis provides at least one full dose from each donation.

A study published in 2012 showed that repeated blood donation is effective in lowering blood pressure, glucose, HbA1c, LDL/HDL ratio, and heart rate in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Donor compensation

WHO set a goal in 1997 that all donated blood should come from voluntary donors, but as of 2006, only 49 of the 124 countries surveyed have set this as the standard. Some countries, such as Tanzania, have made great strides towards this standard, with 20% of donors becoming unpaid volunteers in 2005 and 80% in 2007. However, 68 of the 124 countries surveyed by WHO made little or no progress in this regard. In the US, most donors are still paid for plasmapheresis. Several countries rely on paid donors to maintain an adequate supply. In some countries, such as Brazil and Australia, it is illegal to receive compensation, in cash or otherwise, for donating blood or other human tissues.

Regular donors often receive some sort of non-monetary recognition. Leave from work is a common benefit. For example, in Italy, donors are paid for the day they donate blood, like a paid leave from work. Donor centers also sometimes add incentives, such as guarantees that donors have priority when there is a shortage, free T-shirts, first aid kits, windshield scrapers, pens, and similar trinkets. There are also incentives for people who recruit potential donors, such as giveaways for donors and rewards for hosting successful donor days. Recognition of meritorious donors is common. For example, the Singapore Red Cross Society gives awards to voluntary donors who have completed a certain number of acts of donation under the Blood Donor Recruitment Program, starting with a "bronze award" for 25 acts. The Malaysian government also offers free outpatient treatment and hospitalization benefits for donors, such as 3 months of free outpatient treatment for each blood donation. In Poland, after donating blood in a certain amount (18 liters for men and 15 liters for women), a person receives the title of "Honored Honorary Donor" and a medal.

Most allogeneic donors donate blood as an act of charity and do not expect to receive any direct benefit from the donation. The sociologist Richard Titmas, in his 1970 book The Gift Relations: From Human Blood to Social Policy, compared the merit of the commercial and non-commercial donation systems of the US and the UK with the advantage in favor of the latter. The book became a bestseller in the US, leading to the regulation of the private blood market. The book is still cited in contemporary debates about the commodification of blood. It was reissued in 1997 and the same ideas and principles apply to similar donation programs, such as organ and sperm donation.