Things you should know before donating blood by Mr Satkam Divya, CEO, KlinicApp
Published on June 12, 2019
New Delhi: All heroes don’t wear a cape! Heroes save the life of others, and you could be one of the heroes performing a simple but generous act.
Have you ever donated blood? Do you know, the blood you donate can save up to 3 person’s life! The pint of blood you donate will restore in your body and keep you healthy while saving others life.
It is essential for the first time blood donors learn few things before donating blood. Everyone can’t donate blood. A person should meet the basic requirements to become eligible for the noble donation. So here are some of the things that everyone should know before making mind to donate blood.
- The first eligibility factor is the age of the donor. In India, the donor’s age must be between 18-65 years. The age factor varies with countries; so make sure to learn about the age factor in the country you reside.
- The overall health condition of the donor must be good, and the minimum weight should be 50 Kg.
- The donor must not be suffering from transmittable diseases.
- The pulse rate must be 50-100 without any irregularities, and the blood pressure must be 50-100 mm Hg (Diastolic), 100-180 mm Hg (Systolic).
- The minimum hemoglobin level must be 12.5 g/dL.
- The body temperature of the donor before donating must be normal, and the oral temperature must not exceed 37.5 degree Celsius.
- Everyone should maintain a gap of more than three months between blood donations.
Apart from meeting the above mentioned normal eligibility criteria, every individual must be aware of the conditions that make a person ineligible for donating blood.
- Individuals with HIV positive or suffering from hypertension, cardiac arrest, blood pressure, epilepsy, cancer, diabetes, and kidney ailments are ineligible to donate.
- Persons who have undergone body/ear piercing or tattoo in the past six months must stay refrained from donating.
- Pregnant women, breastfeeding women or alcoholic person can’t donate blood.
- Women who had a miscarriage in the past six months must not donate blood.
- Individuals who underwent general surgeries or underwent treated for rabies or Hepatitis B in the past six months are ineligible to donate blood.
- Persons having asthma fits, and allergic disorders also can’t donate blood.
After fulfilling the eligibility criteria, one must also prepare self for donating blood. The process of blood donation is a matter of a few minutes, but you should prepare for the cause before a day of the event. Consulting a doctor, of course, is the best option to get beneficial tips but you can follow the rules provided by Red Cross.
- The prospective donor must eat iron-rich foods like eggs, meat, kale, spinach, or certain fruits rich in iron and ensure to keep your blood healthy.
- Make sure to avoid fatty foods as it would make blood sample testing difficult.
- Keeping your body hydrated is one of the major factors to prepare the body for the cause as with a dehydrated body; you may feel uncomfortable after the donation.
- Individuals must have a health screening before donating as some features may raise a red flag.
- Get your hemoglobin level tested, which will determine the level of iron-carrying proteins in the red blood cells.
- Good night sleep before donating blood will help to keep the blood flow and pressure normal.
- Never do exercises or any other physically stressed works before or after donating blood.
The process of blood donation is a matter of a few minutes. The process is not even painful. The donors have to bear the pricking sensation while the needle will get pierced. Participating in the noble cause won’t waste your time or degrade your health condition if you follow the rules. Rather, your donation will save a few persons’ life. Be a blood donor; be a real hero!