The 411 on Giving Blood
There is no substitute for blood. It cannot be manufactured, and according to American Red Cross statistics (2006), every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood.
More than 44,000 blood donations are required every day, and about one of every seven people entering a hospital require a blood transfusion. These startling statistics underscore the critical need for blood donations to help trauma patients, people undergoing organ transplants, and many others.
“The only way for us to get blood products for transfusions is from donators,” said Dr. Alyssa Ziman, medical director of the UCLA Blood and Platelet Center. “Typically, 5 to 10 percent of the population donates. It can be as low as 2 percent, even though the eligible donor population tends to be much higher.“
That requires a certain level of responsibility and duty among people to take the time and donate in order to keep an adequate supply of blood.
Blood Types
The four basic blood groupings are: A, B, O and AB. Within that range, people are either RH positive or RH negative.
Among the eight common blood types, the groupings are determined by the presence or absence of two antigens, A and B, that are on the surface of red blood cells. These are substances that can trigger an immune response if they are foreign to the body.
The third possible antigen is the RH element, which can be either present (+) or absent (–). Generally speaking, RH-negative is to be matched with RH-negative patients, while RH-positive may be given to both positive and negative recipients.
Knowing the right match-up capabilities between the types is crucial for safe transfusions.
For example, Group A can donate to those with A or AB, and Group B to those with B or AB. Group AB can donate to other AB's, but they can also receive from any group. Type O, as a universal donor, can provide red blood cells to any patient.
While those are the more well-known core groupings of blood types, in an emergency situation a direct group match is not required for a transfusion recipient to survive.
“We constantly need on hand a wide variety of types. There are subcategories of rare blood types, over 200 types (that) we monitor and track,” says Scott Edward, regional donor recruitment director for United Blood Services in San Luis Obispo, California. “The one that is always in demand is O-negative, which is universal."
For example, Edward said, in an emergency room situation where you don’t have time to cross-match the patient who is losing a lot of blood, you’re reaching for O-negative because virtually 100 percent of the patient population could use that blood type.
Blood Donations for Your Own Surgery
For some individuals, there is a sense of comfort knowing that in going under the knife, the blood used will be their own. This procedure is called autologous.
Essentially it means donating your own blood to be used specifically for an elective surgical or medical procedure involving you.
While still used widely, it is a process that was prevalent in the 1980s and 1990s due to the fear of potential HIV infection. The procedure has been greatly refined through the years and is considered very safe.
“The testing we currently have is extremely specific and sensitive, so the testing algorithms are much better now than in the '80s,” says Dr. Alyssa Ziman, medical director of the UCLA Blood & Platelet Center. “The risks are very low for HIV and Hepatitis C for blood transfusions -- about 1 in 2 million units transfused." This is relatively safe, she notes, compared to many other hospital procedures.
Basic Requirements to Donate
The qualifications to donate blood include answering a series of questions about your personal health background -- including recent surgeries and current medications being used -- as well as travel history, particularly to areas with high concentrations of malaria.
Medical officials also pay attention to various body piercings and tattoos as they are potential areas for hepatitis.
In preparing to donate blood, Edward dispels some myths and explains how to get ready.
“The average human has 10 pints of blood and the average donation is one pint, so we like our donators to be well-hydrated, not experiencing cold or flu symptoms, and make sure they’ve had a good meal. Many people are under the impression one needs to fast. That is true on some cases for testing of blood, but for donating blood, it's the opposite.”
Potential donors are given a mini-physical that checks temperature, blood pressure, pulse and hemoglobin to ensure it is safe for them to give blood. Though the entire visit takes about 90 minutes, the actual blood donation typically takes less than 10 to 12 minutes. All donated blood is tested for HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis and other infectious diseases before it can be released to hospitals.
There's No Vacation from Needing Blood Donors
There is no breather in the need for blood. During the holidays and summer break, many people are more involved in shopping, family activities and traveling on vacation, so they have less time to donate. But the need for blood does not take a vacation.
“Nothing can replace the blood that helps a new mother after a problematic delivery and children having heart surgeries, or the plasma used to treat a burn victim, or the platelets that provide benefits to patients undergoing chemotherapy,” said Dr. Richard Benjamin, chief medical officer for the American Red Cross.
With the reliance on human volunteers as the only course of action, the importance of increasing the number of donators to provide blood on a regular basis cannot be emphasized enough.
“The simple fact is that about every few seconds someone somewhere in the United States needs a life-saving blood product,” said Benjamin. “The only way to meet this ongoing challenge is by the continued generosity of volunteer blood donors.”