Blood donation is a theme that often becomes more frequent in our lives when a major disaster occurs with many victims or when someone in our life needs a transfusion.
However, the need for blood banks is permanent: Every day, many people need transfusions because they have had accidents, have had complex surgeries, are experiencing diseases such as leukemia and lymphomas or undergo chemotherapy.
So if you meet the requirements, it is very important to make frequent donations (up to 4 donations per year for men and 3 for women) and to encourage people around you to do the same. Here are 7 things to know before heading to the nearest blood bank:
1. You will be screened for your own safety.
After you register with the blood bank, you will be screened to evaluate data such as weight, height, temperature, pulse rate, and blood pressure to determine if you have good overall health.
Also, is a hemoglobin dosage made to make sure you don't have anemia? If you are anemic, the donation will not be made to protect your health. In the most modern blood banks, are devices available that allow this dosage to be done without the digital puncture? that can be a little sore.
Also read: 25 Myths Believed About Blood Donation
2. You will answer somewhat intimate questions
At screening, you will also undergo a confidential interview about your habits regarding drug use, illegal drugs and sexual behavior. It is very important to be as honest as possible to protect yourself and also a possible receiver.
For example, people who have already used injecting drugs or who have diseases such as hepatitis B and C, AIDS and Syphilis, among others, cannot give blood permanently. Those who have a tattoo need to wait 12 months to make the donation. People who have oral or genital cavity piercings can only donate one year after removing them.
3. You can declare anonymously that your blood should not be used.
If you know that your blood should not be used for any reason or if you have questions about its viability, it is best to be honest with the interviewer. But if you're embarrassed, there is still a final and anonymous opportunity to alert the blood bank.
It is the self-exclusion vow, which is made on a machine. On the screen, you'll read a message with conditions that make blood use unfeasible, such as alcohol abuse, drug use, passage through the prison system, and risky sexual behavior. Next you should choose the button that indicates whether your blood can be used for transfusion or not.
Since this information is only linked to your blood in a future stage, when you are already well away from the blood bank, the donation procedure usually occurs. This way, there is no risk that you will be exposed to your escorts or local staff.
Read also: Thrombophilia: Understand the Causes of the Problem, the Risks, and Know How to Treat
4. It won't hurt that much, but you will feel a mincemeat
Let's be honest: yes, you will feel a prick when the blood collection needle is placed on your arm, but this discomfort is fleeting. After that, the donation itself is painless.
If you have trouble seeing blood, ask the technician to cover where the needle is inserted, so you avoid any discomfort.
5. It is important to have a snack after donation
Snacks that are available to donors are not just a treat, but a way to help your body replenish the volume that has been removed. As the donation is about 450 ml of blood, it is necessary to hydrate very well to compensate for this reduction.
Drink plenty of water, teas and juices and accept the salty cookies? They are important in helping your body retain fluids at this first moment.
6. Your blood can help unborn people
The blood you are donating today may be destined for an intrauterine transfusion for unborn babies who already have severe fetal anemia caused by parvovirus infection or incompatibilities with the mother's HR factor, among other reasons.
Read also: 8 ways to help others
In this case, your blood will be transferred directly into the baby's umbilical cord, which is punctured with the aid of ultrasound images.
7. Minors can donate from 16 years
If you are 16 or 17 years old and would love to donate blood for some special reason, please be aware that this procedure is allowed in the presence of your parents or legal guardians. There is a list of documents and requirements that you must meet, so it is worth consulting the blood center before you go there.
For example, if one of them cannot attend, you must have an authorization form signed with notarized signature and simple copy of your documents. Although there is some red tape, this gesture will always be very welcome and can save many lives.
What Happens to the Blood You Donate? | Cedars-Sinai (April 2024)
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