Is blood donation useful, possible harm, opinions and facts. Is it harmful to be a donor Is it good for the body to donate blood

When donating, blood is drained through a vein. The loss of some blood leads to a drop in blood pressure. Blood loss stimulates the bone marrow, from which young red blood cells enter the bloodstream. After donating blood, a person feels an influx of strength, freshness, vivacity. Feeling better. Water from the cells rushes into the bloodstream. The thickened blood is liquefied, toxins from the tissues, through the blood enter the kidneys and are excreted from the body. This information is the answer to the question: is it useful or harmful to donate blood to men, women?

Proponents of an alternative opinion argue against. And, they are partially right. Because there are contraindications against donating blood.

In earlier times, it was considered an effective medical procedure in the treatment of many diseases. From the beginning of the 20th century, the practice of blood transfusion to the victim with severe blood loss began to develop. There was a theory according to which the blood transfused from a young man to an old man could have a rejuvenating effect.

The pioneers experimented on themselves. After several successful experiments, the death of the Soviet scientist Alexander Bogdanov followed. It turned out that not all blood is suitable for transfusion from one person to another.

Four are open. In addition to them, blood is distinguished that has the Rh factor and is free from it.

Non-compliance with the rules of blood transfusion leads to the destruction of red blood cells in the recipient of blood and death. Therefore, for those who are going, there are special requirements for the donor.

Doctors say that the blood donation procedure is useful for the donor. But, there are the following barriers to donating blood:

• It is required to observe the recommended intervals between blood donations;
• There should be no contraindications due to the health condition of the donor;
• The donor should not have infectious, parasitic and bodily diseases;
• It is required to take into account his state of health: temperature, pressure, etc.;
• The donor should not have tattoos, piercings, etc.;
• You cannot donate blood immediately after returning from abroad.

Regarding the benefits of donating blood, you should determine the gender of the donor. To the question: is it useful or harmful to donate blood to men, the answer is unequivocal: it is useful, provided there are no contraindications to donating. Men over forty benefit more from bloodletting than younger men.

It is not so with women. It is known that every month, during the period, the body loses a tangible portion of blood, so ladies, to a lesser extent than gentlemen, need bloodletting. Therefore, answering the question: is it useful or harmful to donate blood to women, we can answer: you need to know the age of a potential donor.

Bloodletting is less beneficial for women of childbearing age than for men. Therefore, the intervals between blood donations should be longer for them than for men. But, for older ladies, bloodletting is more beneficial than for young ones, due to the lack of critical days.

Training

Routine procedures are carried out beforehand. Assess the health status of a potential donor. It is necessary to make sure that the loss of blood does not harm the health of the donor, and the donor himself does not suffer from diseases that can be transmitted to the recipient.

The future blood donor, the presence or absence of the Rh factor. They carry out tests for the content of pathogens in the blood of AIDS, syphilis, viral hepatitis and other diseases. There are no age restrictions on donation. The blood of an old man and a young man is equal.

But, the individual characteristics of the donor have a decisive influence on the suitability for donating blood. People who have undergone some surgeries, as well as having tattoos and piercings and body weight are not allowed to donate<50 кг. В особом порядке рассматривают пригодность к донорству беременных и кормящих матерей

Donation should not be abused. Excessive or too frequent do not allow it to recover in sufficient volume. There are a number of diseases in which donation is contraindicated for him. Failure to comply with such rules for a blood donor can cause irreparable harm to health.

Professional blood donors are so accustomed to donating blood that they feel an irresistible need for it.

What are the benefits of donating blood?

• Stimulation of the work of the organs of hematopoiesis;
• Prevention;
• Activation of immunity;
• Normalization of the spleen. Spontaneous unloading of the liver;
• helps prevent heavy bleeding

All positive changes are achieved without the use of drugs, which avoids their side effects.

Despite all the advantages of donating blood as a donor, there are certain limitations:

• It is not recommended to donate blood more than five times a year for men and once a quarter for women;
• Two days before donating blood, it is necessary to limit physical activity;
• It is required to limit the use of eggs, fatty, fried, alcohol;
• After donating blood, you should not expose yourself to high physical exertion and travel for several days.

Plasma donation does not require a long recovery time, because the red blood cells are returned to the donor. In this regard, you can donate plasma twice a month. Contraindications are the same as for blood sampling.

List of contraindications

Distinguish unconditional contraindications to blood donation and temporary. Unconditional include:

• Infectious diseases;
• infestations;
• Diseases of the nervous system;
• Emphysema of the lungs;
• Angina pectoris;
• Recurrent obstructive bronchitis;
• Cholecystitis;
• Chronic hepatitis and hepatosis;
• Ulcers of the digestive system;
• Urolithiasis disease;
• kidney disease;
• Blindness;
• Inflammation of the ENT organs;
• Skin diseases.

Temporary contraindications include:

• Transfusion;
• postoperative recovery;
• Foreign business trip> 2 months;
• Visiting tropical countries > 3 months;
• Contact with patients with hepatitis;
• Influenza, SARS;
• Angina;
• Removal of a tooth;
• Menstruation;
• Pregnancy;
• Breast-feeding;
• Taking medications;
• Reception of alcoholic beverages;
• recent vaccinations.

Other points of delivery

It is dangerous to be a donor if the rules are not followed. You need to donate blood at special reception points, provided with the necessary equipment and qualified personnel. You can not give consent to the collection of blood without preliminary tests and examination by a doctor.

Donating blood is a free procedure. To recuperate, a person is given a paid day off. The blood sampling process takes about 30 minutes.

Sometimes, a transfusion from a donor does not involve taking blood, but some part of it. For example, erythrocytes, leukocytes or plasma. In this case, the donor's blood passes through a centrifuge, where the components necessary for transfusion are selected, and the rest of the blood is returned to the donor's vessel.

Donation presented in society as a noble and useful act. For individuals who regularly donate, its components provide various benefits. This includes extra days off and free food vouchers.

But is plasma donation safe? And what is the other side of the coin? What should you know about the sampling procedure and how to properly prepare for a medical manipulation?

Plasma. A little educational program

Plasma is the liquid fraction of blood. Its specific gravity is 60% of the mass of whole blood. The task of this fluid is to transport blood cells to various organs and tissues, deliver nutrients and excrete waste products.

Plasma is necessary to maintain the health of the homeostasis system, the formation of fibrin clots at the site of injury. The composition of this biological fluid includes protein fractions that provide the salt balance of the body. In addition, they participate in metabolic processes, stabilize work.

Plasma is widely used in medical practice. The introduction of this blood component is indicated in the patient's state of shock, massive blood loss, overdose of anticoagulants, cardiomyopathies of various etiologies.

All these conditions are extremely severe. Therefore, donating blood components saves someone's life.

Donating blood plasma. Benefit for the donor

The sampling procedure is an invasive manipulation. Therefore, there are cases of deliberate distortion of information about the benefits of donating blood plasma for a donor.

The World Health Organization has developed recommendations for the donation of blood and its components, including the frequency and volume of biological fluid sampling. Following the WHO protocols is mandatory for the personnel of medical institutions.

Benefits of donating blood plasma for a donor:

1. Moral satisfaction is the very fact that plasma donation can save the life of another person;
2. Prevention of bleeding - donation is a kind of training for the homeostasis system. In addition, the body learns to quickly restore the lost biological fluid.
3. Increased lifespan - It has been proven that donors live an average of 5 years longer than their peers.
4. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle - the requirements for a potential donor are quite strict.
5. Prevention of atherosclerosis, ischemia, embolism.
6. Updating the components of the biological fluid.
7. Lowering cholesterol levels, which reduces the risk of developing and cerebrovascular accidents.
8. Prevention of diseases of the liver, urinary system,.
9. For women - prevention of breakthrough uterine bleeding, difficult childbirth with massive blood loss.
10. The material side - the delivery of the components of the biological fluid is not always free of charge. The donor receives additional time off, which can be added to the main vacation. The status of "honorary donor" is a list of various benefits provided by the state.
11. Before donation, a mandatory medical examination is carried out. And even if the donor's candidacy is rejected, he will know that he needs to undergo an examination and quality treatment from a specialized specialist. This will benefit even without donating blood plasma.

It is possible to donate biological raw materials only in specialized medical institutions. With strict adherence to WHO protocols, the benefits of donating blood plasma are undeniable.

Donating blood plasma. Harm to the donor

Any medical manipulation both heals and injures the tissues and systems of the body. When donating blood plasma, harm to the donor can be caused in the following cases:

The procedure is carried out without a preliminary examination;

Manipulations are carried out with a reusable tool;

Donor infection due to violation of asepsis rules;

Taking excess volume of biological fluid;

During the year, 10 acts of plasma donation are allowed for 1 donor and no more than 600 ml of biological fluid in 1 manipulation. Medical institutions keep strict records. Therefore, it will not work to exceed the frequency of donations.

When donating blood plasma, harm can be caused not by the very fact of blood loss, but by a violation of the rules and safety precautions during the procedure for collecting biological fluid.

How is the donation

Donation is a strict adherence to the rules of preparation for the procedure and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Just the desire to donate biological fluid is not enough.

Requirements for a potential donor:

1. Age from 18 to 60 years and weight not less than 50 kg. In rare cases, the minimum body weight is 47 kg.

2. Be a citizen or have a residence permit. You must have documents that allow you to identify the person.

3. Be healthy.

4. In women, plasma sampling is not carried out during menstruation.

Before taking the biological fluid, a potential donor is examined by a doctor. A general blood test is shown, the group and Rh factor are determined, they are examined for syphilis, hepatitis and HIV. With a reduced level of hemoglobin, plasma sampling is not carried out.

If the candidate is allowed to donate, then before medical manipulations he must have a snack. Usually it is tea with a bun.

The patient should be in the supine position. During the procedure, the donor involved 2 hands. From one passes the sampling of biological fluid. The blood enters the centrifuge to separate red blood cells, platelets, and other cells from the plasma.

Then, the platelet and erythrocyte mass obtained after centrifugation is injected into the vein of the second arm. The resulting plasma is frozen.

Behavior after donation

During plasma sampling, the amount of hemoglobin does not decrease, as when donating whole blood. But the body still experiences stress, so weakness and dizziness are possible after donation.

How to behave so that donating blood plasma is beneficial, not harmful:

1. Do not smoke.

2. Forget about alcoholic beverages for a day. Do not believe the myth about the benefits of red wine for recovery from blood loss.

3. After taking the plasma, do not remove the pressure bandage for several hours.

4. Rest for half an hour after the manipulation. Eat a bun, drink tea.

5. You should not go to the gym or engage in labor exploits during the day.

6. Eat normally, drink enough water for 2 days after donation.

Failure to follow the rules of conduct after donating blood plasma will harm the donor, as the body will recover much more slowly. Weakness and dizziness will be present.

Discuss the benefits before deciding to donate blood components donating blood plasma with a transfusionist. Well, the harm of this medical manipulation is extremely doubtful.

June 14 is World Blood Donor Day, and not just a person who shared his blood with his neighbor, but did it for free. True, there are rumors that donors donate blood for a reason - either they keep their youth longer, or they fall into addiction, akin to a drug addiction ... MedAboutMe figured out how donation affects the body.

Donation can be paid and gratuitous (free). In developed countries, the percentage of gratuitous donors of the total population is on average 5%. The goal of policy to promote donation worldwide is to ensure that all donation is non-reimbursable. This is not only more beneficial for the state, but also reduces the risk of receiving “bad” blood from the population.

Research on the benefits and harms of blood donation has been going on for a long time. They serve several purposes:

• to identify the impact of regular loss of blood or its elements on human health;
• determine the ability of the human body to recover from the loss of blood or its elements;
• determine the risk limits for the human body when donating blood;
• to develop motivational programs promoting gratuitous donation.

Donation types

• Whole blood donation.

Normally, a healthy whole blood donor loses about 450 ml of blood in one procedure in Russia, in the USA a single blood donation is 480 ml (1 pint). Full recovery is observed after about 8 weeks.

• Plasmapheresis.

With this method of donation, blood is taken from a person, it is centrifuged, the plasma is taken, and the blood elements are diluted with saline and injected back into the donor's body. The volume of plasma taken at a time does not exceed 600 ml. Recovery after the plasmapheresis procedure takes 2 weeks.

• Plateletpheresis.

Only platelets are taken from the donor's blood, and the rest of its components are poured back. This is a more complex procedure than whole blood donation and plasmapheresis. The volume of the resulting platelet mass is approximately 450 ml. Recovery takes about 2-3 weeks.

• Erythrocytepheresis.

When donating red blood cells, respectively, only red blood cells are taken from the donor, and everything else is returned back to the body. The recovery period is about 1 month.

• Donation of immune plasma.

The purpose of this procedure is to obtain plasma with ready-made antibodies to a specific infection. To do this, the donor must first develop these antibodies, that is, be vaccinated.

The total volume of blood in an average person is approximately 5 liters, that is, during the donation of whole blood, a person gives almost 10% of the total volume. In this case, the donor's body loses approximately 225-250 mg of heme - a complex of ferrous iron and porphyrin, an essential element of hemoglobin, an oxygen carrier in human blood. This means that the supply of oxygen to the body is deteriorating. But the human body has a lot of compensatory mechanisms that allow us to share blood without causing significant damage to ourselves. What happens after blood donation:

• Baroreceptors (pressure receptors) located in the aortic arch and carotid arteries detect a decrease in blood volume. Signals from the sympathetic nervous system go to the heart, forcing it to work more actively, and to the lungs, changing their diffusion capacity;
• Secretion of antidiuretic hormone, which regulates the amount of water in the human body and constricts blood vessels;
• Launching the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) - a hormonal system that regulates blood volume in the body and blood pressure;
• The release of the hormone erythropoietin in response to a lack of oxygen, which triggers the processes of erythropoiesis - the formation of red blood cells, etc.

Blood donation and capillary bloodletting

Speaking about the benefits of donation, experts cite as an example the method of capillary bloodletting, also known as “wet hijama”. The method owes its name and origin to Islam. The first mention of it is found in the teachings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and today this method is popular in the Muslim world. Since the 15th century, capillary bloodletting has appeared in Finnish saunas. As vessels, Finnish healers used horns with a special mechanism to create a vacuum. This method is still used by adherents of traditional medicine in Finland.

The essence of the method: cups or their analogue are placed on the selected area of ​​the skin by creating a vacuum. After 3 minutes, the vessel is removed and superficial incisions are made on the skin, after which the jar is placed again. Due to the vacuum, a small amount of blood accumulates in the vessel. In ancient times, it was believed that this is "bad" blood, which should be disposed of.

Scientists in the process of donating blood took indicators indicating the level of oxidative stress in the body. It turned out that the procedure leads to its decrease - just like capillary bloodletting. According to the researchers, when donating, the level of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase increases, which leads to the inhibition or elimination of reactive oxygen species that have a detrimental effect on the body.

To date, a considerable amount of observations of donors has been accumulated, but in most cases, the identified dependences are weakly confirmed or not confirmed at all when the experimental conditions change.

One of the most popular indicators of a donor's condition among scientists is the level of ferritin in the blood. Ferritin is a protein that allows the body to store iron in non-toxic forms. It is also called "iron depot". At the same time, ferritin is an acute-phase protein of inflammation, that is, its concentration in the blood increases in response to the inflammatory process. Since ferritin is the main storage site for iron in the human body, its concentration makes it possible to judge how much iron is available.

Serum ferritin levels should be within certain normal limits:

• if there is too much ferritin, this can indicate hemachromatosis, various chronic inflammatory diseases, a number of autoimmune and oncological diseases, as well as alcohol abuse, etc.
• if there is too little ferritin, this means that there is not enough hemoglobin in the body, for example, with anemia.

Research Findings: Benefits of Donation

• By monitoring the level of ferritin in the blood serum, scientists came to the conclusion that donation reduces the level of iron in the body, and at the same time, the risk of cardiovascular disease. As a result, blood donors are 88% less likely to suffer from acute myocardial infarction.
• An elevated ferritin level indicates a high risk of oxidative stress, which in itself is a provoking factor in various diseases. Therefore, donation, in which the body loses iron, reduces the risk of developing cancers, such as cancer of the colon, lung, liver, stomach and esophagus.
• Donation indirectly improves the condition of obese patients with metabolic syndrome, as it reduces blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease in general.
• Blood donation also reduces the level of acute-phase inflammatory proteins, which are responsible for the manifestation of inflammatory reactions in the body. With their excessive production in the body, the risk of damage to cell membranes and tissues increases, the development of a number of metabolic processes that underlie some autoimmune diseases of the endocrine system, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, etc.). ), rheumatoid arthritis and the aging process.

In general, it must be said that there is no indisputable evidence of the benefits of one-time or regular donation for the body. No "blood renewal" theories, etc. do not work in practice. The only thing that can be confidently stated is that regular donors are generally healthier people on average, at least because they prefer to take care of their health in order to continue to benefit humanity.

• Donation is an increased risk of developing blood iron deficiency, which means the risk of developing anemia and other conditions associated with a lack of this element. This danger is fully compensated by proper nutrition before and after blood donation.
• There is an assumption that constant blood donations affect the permeability of the capillaries that supply the blood to the alveoli - the pulmonary vesicles where gas exchange occurs. Long-term donation, according to some scientists, leads to a deterioration in the permeability of the alveolar-capillary membrane.
• There is also an unproven theory that the activation of cell proliferation processes is harmful to the body. Proliferation is an active neoplasm, the reproduction of cells by division, which leads to an increase in tissue volume. The constant removal of red blood cells causes the body to more actively produce new red blood cells. And, according to some scientists, this increases the risk of malignant tumors of tissues where hematopoiesis occurs - hematopoiesis. These tissues include red bone marrow, spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes.

Speaking about the potential harm of donation, it should also be said: there is no clear evidence of the harm of this procedure to health - unless, of course, all the rules for preparing and exiting it are followed. True, there is an opinion that a healthy lifestyle of donors masks all the negative manifestations of regular blood donation. But in response to such a statement, one can only be glad for the donors and their organisms - they manage to do this very successfully.

I allow. Here's another wrong story:

In principle, the donation is anonymous. But one day, after donating blood, I chatted for an hour with the lady for whom I donated platelets. The lady was terminally ill, and it was about restoring hematopoiesis after a chemotherapy block and being able to get home. The lady was over 80, she was the head of the family, interest in life and a sense of humor were in place. Practice shows that the one who does not know how to live dies, and the rest simply live. The lady lived, and years later I remember her with the brightest feelings. I feel good that I met her, even in such a difficult situation for a lady. I know that it is possible to LIVE the last years in this way, with dignity and humor. For some time I called back the twin sister of this lady (!!!), it seems to me that of the whole family, the twin ladies had the greatest amount of sense of humor and common sense. Well, why is it necessary to sob inapplicably on your deathbed? Why can't you get all the joy of life that a person can experience?
Tell me, do you cry for a long time when you hear about another tragedy? When people die and you can't help them? In this case, no one died, and I sincerely wish Inna to survive this nightmare, to return to Luka and her daughters. Fortunately, in this case, we can all help. We can donate blood for cancer patients, and through our actions, most of them have a chance to recover. Personally, I don’t know Inna, we didn’t go to the hospital to communicate with her, but with the staff of the blood transfusion department. We met several healthy people, did body movements that were not very tiring for ourselves (although sitting and waiting is sometimes tormenting), we knew that someone would feel better from our pastime. Why is it embarrassing to be more cheerful at the same time than after the news program? At least 2 people from those who were traveling were constantly striving each other, by the way, this is a purely positive moment, it greatly reduced the severity of waiting.
I can't write seriously. The parents did not understand why I begged them to take me away from the pioneer camp: you laugh at the letters. After writing an essay on the topic of scientific and technological progress, the teachers' council died of laughter and I was not allowed to take an exam in history and social science (you never know what RONO will say, Soviet times). I recently defended my Ph.D. thesis - my opponent giggled, the academic council grunted, the hall was full of laughter, I felt bad and scared until my eyes darkened. It is impossible to change me, it is unprofitable to shoot me. If someone took the trouble to make a correct report - that would be great!!! Maybe you will try? 08/23/2005 08:35:17 PM, Allllenka

Does everyone know what donation is and who is a donor? First of all, if we turn to the origin of this word, it should be said that it is of Latin origin and comes from the ancientdono, which means "I give". If we consider the word and its meaning more broadly, then a “donor” is someone, including an individual, a group of people, and an organization, who gives something to someone else, that is, to another object (person, organization , enterprise, state).

The one who receives something from a donor is called an acceptor or recipient. Most people are sure that the concept of "donation" refers to the medical field.

However, this is not quite true. For example, this term is quite common in chemistry, where it is customary to call an electron donor an atom of that chemical element that demonstrates lower electronegativity; in turn, an atom of a chemical element with a greater electronegativity is called an electron acceptor.

The term “donor” is also used in solid state physics, where a donor is an impurity in a crystal lattice that is standard for a particular substance, donating an electron to a crystal. Since about the second half of the last century, the use of the word “donation” has also been found in the economy - for more than half a century this has been called the provision of soft loans or even the provision of certain financial resources to a country as assistance.

But perhaps the most common understanding and perception of the word “donation” is related to medicine, where a donor is someone who shares his blood to be transfused to other patients, or even someone who donates his internal organ for transplantation (transplantation). The person who receives blood or an organ from a donor is called a recipient.

In modern medicine, such types of donation as blood donation, sperm donation, milk donation and, of course, tissue and organ donation are especially common. However, blood donation is still the most common. Many people are interested in blood donation: benefits and harms. Blood donation and its consequences for the body.

WHO on blood donation

The great importance of donation is noted and repeatedly emphasized by the World Health Organization. WHO experts believe that the most effective donation is voluntary donation, and when determining the safest donors, WHO experts gave preference to voluntary unpaid blood donors who belong to those population groups that have minimal risks.

WHO Fact Sheet No. 279 revealed the facts about donation in 2011, and according to the figures provided, it was found that the national blood supply of more than sixty countries is entirely or almost entirely (more than 99.9%) formed from exclusively voluntary and completely unpaid donations (the word "donation" comes from the English donation which means "gift").

However, according to WHO, in about forty countries of the world, national blood stocks are formed on a voluntary and non-reimbursable donor basis only in less than a quarter of cases.

The goal of the World Health Organization was formed in the resolution of the World Health Assembly (adopted in 1975) - by 2020 to receive all blood supplies only from voluntary and absolutely free donors.

Interesting! The 58th World Health Assembly, held in May 2005, adopted a resolution establishing an annual World Blood Donor Day. According to the decision of representatives of 192 states, this day is celebrated on June 14. The annual World Blood Donor Day is sponsored by the World Health Organization, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCRCS), the International Blood Transfusion Society (ISBT). It is very important that every year on June 14, the sponsoring organizations hold some important event of a global scale.

In 2015, World Blood Donor Day was held under the slogan “Thank you for saving my life!”, to once again emphasize that donors and blood transfusions save millions of lives every year. In addition, another goal was to realize the slogan “Give it free, give it often. Blood donation is important”, calling on people all over the world to donate blood, thereby saving other lives.

Unfortunately, not all countries yet test donated blood properly in order to completely exclude the possibility of transmission through the blood of any infection, including such dangerous ones as HIV / AIDS, hepatitis B and C, syphilis and other infectious diseases (there are a little less than forty such countries) .

To make sure that the transfused blood is suitable for a particular patient, the blood received from donors is necessarily tested for and determined.

WHO experts emphasize that it is very important that all blood supplies are absolutely safe, so all donated blood always undergoes the most thorough checks and all necessary screening procedures.

Dispelling myths about donation

Since blood has always been not only a necessary source of life, but also a kind of mystical substance, the embodiment of life and death, the embodiment of kinship, a symbol of health, it is not surprising that many myths have formed around blood, and even more so, around blood donation.

However, first you need to remember how much blood is contained in any person and how much of this blood can be donated without harm to your body.

According to the data of many observations and special studies, scientists and physiologists have found that the volume of circulating blood, or BCC, is determined depending on the weight of a person: for every kilogram of body weight, there is from 50 ml to 80 ml of blood in the body. As for the total volume of circulating blood, to determine this value, it is customary to multiply the body weight in kilograms by 0.077 (some average value that determines the amount of blood in liters per kilogram of weight). For example, if a person weighs 56 kg, then the volume of blood in his body will be 56x0.077 = 4.312 liters.

It has been proven that a person can donate 12% of all blood in his body without harm to his own health: 4.312:100x12=0.517 liters.

As a rule, 450 ml of blood is taken from donors and an additional about 40 ml for the necessary tests and analyzes (490-500 ml of blood is taken from the donor at a time).

Both the World Health Organization and donor societies in different countries, urging people to donate blood, draw attention to the fact that blood transfusion, as well as the use of blood components if necessary, save many human lives.

Medical statistics has information that one out of three inhabitants of the Earth at least once in a lifetime needs to receive a transfusion of blood or blood components. There are categories of patients and people injured in various accidents for whom the use of donor blood, as well as drugs and / or blood components is mandatory and ensures the success of the necessary specialized treatment.

• First of all, women who have lost a large amount of blood during childbirth need a blood transfusion;
• Often blood transfusions are required for people who have suffered as a result of accidents, have been injured, have lost a lot of blood during any accidents and disasters.
• Often blood transfusions are required for cancer patients.
• One cannot do without transfusion of donor blood or blood products for many specific blood diseases, which include leukemia, hemophilia, and aplastic anemia.
• Sometimes a transfusion of donor blood is required for complex diseases with a chronic course.
• Donor blood is absolutely necessary for bone marrow transplantation.
• Donor blood and the possibility of its timely transfusion are very important for many operative (surgical) interventions, including cardiac surgery, endoprosthesis replacement, and other complex operations.

Thus, it becomes quite clear that modern medicine cannot do without blood transfusion, which is called the term "transfusion". Nevertheless, for a considerable number of people, the idea of ​​parting with their blood seems ridiculous and even scary. Although it is known that the body quickly restores lost volumes.

Unfortunately, a considerable amount of prejudices, fears and peculiar myths have formed around blood donation, behind which, as a rule, there is nothing. However, any myth can be considered more closely and refuted if you have truthful information.

Myth #1 Donating blood is harmful to the donor.

In fact. If a person is healthy, then donation does not cause him the slightest harm, especially since the volume of blood is quickly restored. In addition, this procedure stimulates and activates the processes of hematopoiesis, which, of course, brings a lot of benefits to a person.

Myth #2. By donating blood, you can get any infection.

In fact. The procedure is completely safe, since all the equipment of the donor points is completely sterile, needles and syringes, as well as blood transfusion systems are used only disposable, and the packages are opened immediately before the procedure so that the donor can see the unsealing process. After blood sampling, used syringes and needles are destroyed (disposed of).

Myth number 3. Many are afraid that the donor procedure is very painful.

In fact. The blood donation procedure does not bring any pain, except for one moment - a puncture of the skin and vein on the inside of the elbow. The strength of sensations during this short-term exposure is comparable to a slight pinch, and the process of blood sampling is absolutely painless. It is significant that some donors donate blood more than once.

Myth number 4. Very few people need donated blood, so there is no point in donating it.

In fact. Any person may need the help of donors and blood transfusion. Medical statistics confirm that every third inhabitant of the planet at least once during his life was forced to resort to blood transfusion.

Myth number 5. It takes a long time to donate blood.

In fact. The procedure for donating blood takes about fifteen minutes, it takes a little longer to donate blood components (platelets or plasma) - these procedures can last from half an hour to an hour and a half.

Myth number 6. Most often, blood is required not from the 1st or 2nd group, but from rare groups, so this is the blood that should be donated.

In fact. Blood of any group and with any Rh factor is constantly in demand.

Myth number 7. Smokers cannot donate blood and be donors.

In fact. If a smoker donates blood, then he should not smoke for an hour before the blood donation procedure and at least an hour after the procedure.

Myth number 8. Donating blood is a very tiring procedure, after which a thorough rest is necessary.

In fact. After the blood sampling procedure, you should sit quietly for a quarter of an hour and on this day you should not engage in heavy physical work.

Myth number 9. To restore lost blood and not feel its loss, you should eat hearty meals in large quantities both before and after the procedure.

In fact. At least a day before blood donation, it is necessary to refuse fatty and spicy foods, as well as fried and smoked foods. Eggs, dairy products, including butter, as well as dates and chocolate are not recommended at this time. Suitable products before donating blood are cereals and pasta cooked in water, bread and crackers, vegetables, fruits (except bananas). Mineral water, compotes, juices, fruit drinks and sweet tea are suitable for drinking. After donating blood, meals should be regular and complete (full meals five times a day are best) - this mode of eating is necessary for at least two days.

Attention! Blood should not be taken on an empty stomach.

Myth number 9. Some people claim that donating blood can make you fat.

In fact. People who donate blood do not gain weight from this procedure, but may gain weight from the fact that they do not adhere to the recommendations on the need for increased nutrition within two days after donating blood, continuing to eat in an enhanced mode even when this is no longer necessary.

Myth number 10. Donation can spoil the appearance, and the complexion can especially suffer.

In fact. People who donate blood regularly have a healthy complexion because the blood is constantly being renewed. And blood renewal, in turn, is an excellent prevention of various diseases of the cardiovascular system, immunity and the entire immune system, as well as the prevention of the gastrointestinal tract, including the liver. As a result, the donor's complexion is very good and healthy, and the skin becomes completely clean and radiant.

Myth number 11. Donation harms the body as the body loses blood.

In fact. Evolutionarily, the amount of blood in the human body is somewhat higher than necessary. It is very useful for a person to sometimes “change the reserve volume” of blood, so donation is also useful for the donor himself.

Myth number 12. Donation cannot be considered normal, because with any blood loss and with any bleeding, the blood must be stopped as soon as possible, and donors constantly lose up to half a liter of blood.

In fact. Donation can be regarded as a kind of training of the body - the donor is more likely to cope with significant blood loss, since his body is able to restore blood loss and is more ready for this than a person who has never donated blood. It is known that the blood balance in a normal situation is able to recover to its original state in about four weeks, however, when the situation is critical, the donor's body will be more adapted to respond to blood loss.

Myth number 13. Donating blood regularly can be addictive.

In fact. If a person who is completely healthy both physically and mentally donates blood, then there are no negative consequences even after repeated blood donation.

Myth number 14. People are best suited for blood from a donor of the same nationality.

In fact. The cellular composition of blood is the same for all people and does not depend on nationality. Blood is suitable not depending on the nationality of the donor, but depending on the group (one out of four) and on the Rh factor, which is positive (85% of cases) and negative (15% of cases). The recipient (the person receiving the blood transfusion) is suitable for donated blood that has the same group and Rh factor as the recipient's blood, and nationality does not matter, like gender, race or religion.

Myth number 15. Some characteristics of the donor, such as beliefs or habits, may be transferred to the recipient along with the blood.

In fact. Blood contains no information about religion, political beliefs, musical preferences, or any habits, so none of the above is transmitted with blood. However, blood can tell about harmful and dangerous habits, such as drug addiction, alcoholism or alcohol abuse, infectious diseases. That is why the donor must be perfectly healthy.

Myth number 16. The church has a negative attitude towards donation.

In fact. Christianity, Islam and Judaism consider blood donation to be a desire to save the life of one's neighbor and are regarded as the embodiment of mercy, therefore they bless blood donation.

Of course, all the myths that have appeared and created around donation do not end there, however, any myth can be explained and debunked, because it is simply impossible to overestimate the importance of donation.

Does blood sampling affect health?

Does donation affect health and can donating blood cause any negative consequences?

The entire history of blood donation confirms that donation does not entail any negative consequences, especially since long-term medical observations of donors from different countries have not only proved the safety of the procedure, but also confirmed its preventive value and even benefits.

Turning to the history of medicine, one can find that even in the times of the Ancient World, bloodletting was known, which was used to strengthen vitality and to activate protective forces. After many hundreds of years, scientists conducted special studies and proved that bloodletting, within reasonable limits, really improves the tone of the body. As a result of research, scientists have proved that bloodletting (in this case, donation) can be considered a very effective prevention of many diseases of the cardiovascular system and the gastrointestinal tract.

According to US medical statistics, male donors reduce their risk of cardiovascular events and diseases by 30%.

Interesting! Some male donors claim that donation has a positive effect on potency, enhancing it.

It is important that regular donation, that is, regular blood donation, stimulates the body to recover from blood loss as soon as possible, which can be useful in an unforeseen difficult situation.

Based on the results of many clinical studies, doctors concluded that small but regular blood loss stimulates the body's immune system, as the blood volume is updated and replenished. In addition, after the blood donation procedure, erythrocytes (red blood cells) are especially actively produced, which stimulate a more active supply of the necessary oxygen to all organs of the body.

Thus, blood donation and, moreover, regular donation, affect the body only positively and have many advantages.

How to prepare for blood donation?

Every person who has had to deal with serious health problems associated with significant blood loss knows about the role of donation. But even if all is well with health, the meaning and importance of donation can be learned from the materials of the World Health Organization, other medical organizations and in medical institutions and / or blood transfusion stations.

At the present stage, donating blood is a completely safe process that cannot pose the slightest threat to health.

However, you should know that only a person who has no contraindications for donation and who is 18 years old at the time of blood donation can become a donor, but the donor's age should not exceed 60 years. Donor weight should not be less than 50 kg.

If the blood donation goes according to plan, then it is highly desirable to donate blood for an analysis (a day or two in advance), during which the blood type, Rh factor, hemoglobin, red blood cells and other components are specified, as well as the possible course of latent chronic diseases. Immediately before blood donation, body temperature and arterial blood pressure are measured.

The final decision on the possibility of donating blood is made by the transfusiologist immediately before the procedure.

In order to qualitatively prepare for a planned blood donation, several conditions must be met.

1. Do not use aspirin and any painkillers - three days before the blood donation procedure.
2. Refuse to take any alcohol, including low-alcohol drinks, two days before donating blood.
3. Refuse fatty foods, as well as meat and dairy foods in favor of cereals, pastries and fruits - at least 12 hours before donating blood, and preferably a day before.
4. It is impossible for donors to donate blood on an empty stomach, so it is necessary to have breakfast with allowed foods.
5. Smokers should not smoke for at least an hour before the blood sampling procedure.

Attention! You can donate whole blood no more than five times within one year - the intervals between blood donations must be at least 60 days. Platelet and plasma donations are allowed more frequently, but more than once a month is not recommended because the body needs time to fully recover.

Contraindications for donation

Donation is noble. The donation is approved by the Church. Donating can save someone's life. But can everyone be a donor?

In fact, there are contraindications for donation, among which there are absolute and temporary.

Absolute contraindications for blood donation:

1. AIDS/HIV
2. Any viral hepatitis, regardless of whether it is an acute form, chronic or just a mention in the anamnesis.
3. Tuberculosis at any stage.
4. Any oncological disease at any stage.
5. Any disease of the blood and/or any abnormalities in the composition of the blood, identified by biochemical analysis.

Temporary contraindications for blood donation:

1. ARVI, after full recovery from which at least a month should pass.
2. Extraction of teeth and other surgical dental procedures, after which at least ten days must pass.
3. Vaccinations, after which, depending on the type of vaccine, must pass from ten days to one year.
4. Acupuncture procedures, tattooing or piercing of any parts of the body - after these procedures, at least a year must pass.
5. Pregnancy in any of the trimesters, as well as breastfeeding - after childbirth, at least a year must pass, and after the end of lactation - at least three months.
6. Menstruation and a week after it ends.

Attention! Donor blood donation is better not to plan during periods of strong emotional stress or significant physical exertion.

conclusions

As they say, we all walk under God. And no one can know when he himself, his child, his loved one, his mother or his friend will need blood. Even in the most prosperous and safe countries, unforeseen situations happen.

In today's world, no one is immune from accidents. "Thank you for saving my life!" is not only the motto of this year's World Blood Donor Day, but these are words that thousands of people on the planet can utter. Someone knows their donor and is grateful to a specific person, while someone received a rescue from a blood bank, where nothing is indicated except for the group and the Rh factor. And who to thank in this case? And how to do it?

The best gratitude is to donate blood, which will also save someone's life, and then there will be one less tragedy on the planet. Thanks to your blood, thanks to you.