How long does it take to donate blood?
At Mayo Clinic donor centers, you'll have access to wireless internet, a television and movies during the donation process. Show
How often can I donate blood?
The Blood Donor Program welcomes regular and repeat healthy donors so that it has a steady blood supply for people in need. By starting to give when you are young and donating throughout your life, you may save thousands of lives. At what age can I start donating blood?Eligible 16-year-olds can donate blood in Minnesota. Donors must have the consent of a parent or guardian and weigh at least 110 pounds (about 50 kilograms). During the appointment, donors will complete a brief health questionnaire with a Mayo Clinic health care professional to make sure blood donation is safe for both the donor and the recipient of the blood. Before donation, a parent or guardian must review and sign the following form to allow an eligible 16-year-old to donate:
These required donation forms are available by any one of the following means:
Can I donate blood?To donate blood, you must weigh at least 110 pounds (about 50 kilograms) and be at least 16 or 17 years old, depending on the law in your state. Some states allow legal minors to donate with parental permission. You must be in good health and able to pass the physical and a confidential health-history assessment to help make sure blood donation is safe for both you and the recipient of the blood. Can I donate if I have a cold, flu or fever?No. To donate, you must be symptom-free from cold, flu or fever on the day of donation. Can I donate blood if I've tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?The Food and Drug Administration suggests waiting to donate blood for at least 14 days after a positive diagnostic test for COVID-19 without symptoms or for at least 14 days after symptoms of COVID-19 have completely cleared up. Those who have tested positive for COIVD-19 antibodies but didn't have a diagnostic test and never developed symptoms can donate without a waiting period or having a diagnostic test done before donation. The Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Program doesn't test blood donors for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Can I donate blood if I have traveled outside the United States in the past year?Travel to some countries may make you ineligible to donate blood for varying periods of time, depending on whether certain diseases, such as malaria, are common in the country visited. The criteria concerning foreign travel are subject to change, so please discuss your eligibility with donor center staff. Can I donate blood if I am under the care of a doctor or dentist?You may be eligible to donate, depending on your condition. Donation is acceptable after routine teeth cleaning or dental work. Can I donate blood if I am taking medication?Most medications do not prevent you from donating blood. Common medications — such as those used to control blood pressure, birth control pills and over-the-counter medications — do not affect your eligibility. If you plan to donate platelets, you need to have stopped using aspirin or any aspirin-containing medicine 48 hours before your appointment. If you're taking antibiotics, you must complete the course before donating. For more information about other medications, contact the Blood Donor Program. Can I donate blood if I have recently had a vaccination?You may donate blood after most vaccinations if you're feeling well. You'll have to wait to donate for two to four weeks after being vaccinated for chickenpox, measles, mumps, rubella or smallpox, or receiving the oral polio vaccine. If you've had a COVID-19 vaccination, discuss your eligibility for donating blood with center staff. Can I donate if I recently had a tattoo or ear or body piercing?Getting a tattoo or piercing recently from a licensed establishment does not make you ineligible to donate blood. What are other situations or conditions that make people ineligible to donate blood?Some people are at high risk of bloodborne infections, which makes them ineligible to donate blood. These high-risk groups include:
How is my health information protected?Your medical record is viewed only as needed by Mayo Clinic Blood Program nurses and physicians. Before you donate blood, you must sign an Authorization to Release Protected Health Information. Eligible 16- and 17-year-old donors will need to have a parent or guardian sign their forms. If you have questions about protecting the privacy of your health information, please contact the Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Program. How do blood donations help with the nationwide blood shortage?The Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Program, along with other blood donor centers, is experiencing the effects of a nationwide blood shortage. A simple blood donation can save the life of a child with leukemia, restore the strength of a cancer patient or provide a critical transfusion to an accident victim. We encourage you to make an appointment to donate blood at the Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Program to help overcome the severe blood shortage. Read more about the national blood shortage. How else do blood donations help?When you donate blood, you're helping others and giving back to your community. Donated blood benefits people in local hospitals who need blood transfusions. Each whole blood donation may help as many as three people. Donated blood helps meet many medical needs, including those of people who have lost blood due to trauma, an organ transplant or other major surgery, as well as those who cannot make enough blood on their own due to illness or treatment. Can blood be manufactured?There is no substitute for human blood — all transfusions use blood from a donor. The inventory of donated blood must be constantly replenished. Donated platelets can be stored for use for as long as five days. Donated red blood cells can be stored for use for up to 42 days. What are the benefits for me as a blood donor?
I'm afraid I'll faint when I see the needle or blood. Is there anything that I can do to prevent that from happening?It's common to be nervous about donating blood if you've never done it before. Be assured that fainting before, during or after blood donation is rare. Staff members are skilled at making the experience as smooth as possible. It may help to not watch the needle as it is inserted, and you don't have to see the blood. While giving blood, you might access wireless internet or watch television or a movie to keep your mind occupied. How can I prepare to donate blood?Before donating, eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water. Go to your donation appointment well rested and wearing a shirt with sleeves that can be rolled up above your elbows. Bring your donor card, driver's license or two other forms of ID. How do whole blood donation and apheresis differ?Blood contains several components, including red cells, platelets and plasma. During a whole blood donation, you typically donate a pint (about a half liter) of whole blood. During apheresis you're hooked up to a machine that collects and separates blood components and returns unused components to you. Apheresis takes up to two hours, which is longer than it takes to donate whole blood. With apheresis collection of plasma and platelets, you may be able to give more frequently than you can with whole blood donation. In what situations do I need to contact the donor center after donating blood?Contact the blood donor center or your doctor if you:
How often can you donate double red blood cells?Each procedure lets you give more of the product that is needed most by patients. Power Red (double red cell donation) takes approximately 30 minutes longer than a whole blood donation and you can donate approximately every four months.
How long does it take for red blood cells to regenerate after giving blood?The blood volume is typically replaced within 24 hours. Red blood cells take between four to six weeks for complete replacement, which is why the FDA requires an eight-week wait between blood donations.
Is it better to donate whole blood or double red cells?A double red cell donation allows you to give twice the amount of red cells than a whole blood donation. Red blood cells are the most used blood component for surgery, trauma and treatment of blood disorders. You may donate double red cells once every 112 days.
Is donating red blood cells healthy?A healthier heart and vascular system
Regular blood donation is linked to lower blood pressure and a lower risk for heart attacks. “It definitely helps to reduce cardiovascular risk factors,” says DeSimone.
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