Q. What happens during blood donation?

A. Prior to the donation process, the donor center staff will take each donor’s blood pressure, pulse and temperature, as well as test a small sample of blood to assure that giving blood will not make the donor anemic. A private verbal health questionnaire is also completed. Each donation utilizes a disposable sterile needle to take about a pint of blood from a vein in the donors arm. Each needle is discarded after donation. One cannot get AIDS or any infectious disease by donating blood. All blood donations are tested for blood type, antibodies, and for evidence of hepatitis B and C, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV 1 and 2, human T-lymphotropic viruses (HTLV) I and II and syphilis.

 
The donor’s body replenishes the fluid lost from donation in 24 hours. It may take up to two months to replace the lost red blood cells. Whole blood can be donated once every eight weeks.

Q. How much blood is donated each year? How much blood is transfused each year?

 
A. Approximately eight million volunteer blood donors donate about 12.6 million units of whole blood in the United States each year. These units are transfused to about four million patients per year.

Typically, each donated unit of blood, referred to as whole blood, is separated into multiple components, such as red blood cells, plasma and platelets. Each component is generally transfused to a different individual, each with different needs.  

The need for blood is great. On any given day, approximately 32,000 units of red blood cells are needed. Accident victims, people undergoing surgery and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or other diseases, all utilize blood. More than 23 million units of blood components are transfused every year. Approximately 10,000 units of blood components are transfused at LCM facilities annually.  

Nearly all blood used for transfusion in the United States is drawn from volunteer donors. Less than five percent of healthy Americans eligible to donate blood actually donate each year.

Q. What are the criteria for blood donation?

To be eligible to donate blood, a person must generally be at least 17 years of age, be in good health, and weigh at least 110 pounds. There is no upper age limit. All donors must pass the physical and health history examinations given prior to donation.  

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