Blood donation basics – what you should know
You will not contract any disease from donating blood, as strict protocols are in place and a new needle is used for every donation and is discarded through incineration
What should I expect?
Your iron (hemoglobin), blood pressure levels and pulse rate will be checked. A blood donation takes up to about 30 minutes. New needles, which are sterile are used once and destroyed, thereafter.
Before donating a donor will:
Complete a questionnaire containing personal details. Answer questions concerning their health, sexual and social conduct.
Minimum requirements for donation are:
Weigh at least 50kg. Between ages of 16 and 65. Lead a healthy lifestyle. Lead a sexually safe lifestyle. Consider your blood safe for transfusion. The criterion for 65 years applies to first time and lapsed donors only. Faithful donors may continue to donate for as long as possible.
You can’t donate blood right now if you:
Have low blood pressure. Have high blood pressure. Have low hemoglobin (iron). Are pregnant. Have had surgery recently. Are taking certain medications.
Your blood is not safe if you are:
HIV or AIDS positive. Had sex with, or worked as, a commercial sex worker in the past six months. Have been treated for a sexually transmitted disease in the past 12 months. Had more than one sexual partner in the past six months. Had casual sex or sex with someone whose sexual background is unknown. Ever injected with drugs or substances not prescribed by a doctor.
Post donation tips
Always ensure the following when and after donating: Eat well to increase your fluid intake for four to six hours. Do not smoke for at least 30 minutes. Avoid strenuous physical exertion. Avoid lifting heavy objects with the arm used for donating for at least two hours.
There are four major blood groups: O, A, B and AB. Group O is the most common blood and is always in demand. The total percentage of Group O in SA is 46 percent. Your body replaces liquid donated within 24 hours through fluid intake. Every time your heart beats, 20 percent of your heart’s output goes directly to your brain, carrying oxygen vital for survival.
Between 40 and 45 percent of your blood is made up of red blood cells that carry this oxygen. The remaining 55 to 60 percent is plasma, a small proportion of white blood cells (which defend your body), clotting factors and platelets. If every capillary, vein and artery in your body were placed end to end, they would cover a distance of 150 000 kilometers. The average volume of blood in an adult body is 4 to 5 liters, or about eight percent of the body weight.
Never donate blood to have a “free HIV test”. Some South Africans still live under the misconception that they can get a free HIV test if they donate blood. You will not contract any disease from donating blood, as strict protocols are in place and a new needle is used for every donation and is discarded through incineration.
In order to protect the patient, blood is tested for various diseases that may be transmitted through blood transfusion. Each unit of donated blood is subjected to strict and rigorous testing and processing procedures. Once blood groups are verified, tests for various infectious diseases are conducted (such as HIV/Aids, hepatitis B and hepatitis C). The result of the HIV test is not disclosed to the donor, but donors will be advised to go to their doctor for more tests if irregularities are shown in testing results.
