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Blood Tips |
Donating blood is safe and simple. It takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete the blood donation process. Any healthy adult between 18 years and 60 years of age can donate blood.
This is what you can expect when you are ready to donate blood : |
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You walk into a Blood Bank or a mobile blood donation camp organized by a Blood Bank. |
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A few questions will be asked to determine your health status (general questions on health, blood donation history, medications etc). Usually you will be asked to fill out a short donor registration form. |
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Then a quick physical examination will be done by a doctor to check temperature, blood pressure, pulse and hemoglobin content in blood to ensure you are a healthy donor. |
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If found fit to donate, then you will be asked to lie down on a donor couch or a bed. Your arm will be thoroughly cleaned. Then using sterile equipments blood will be collected in a special plastic bag. Approximately 350 ml of blood will be collected in one donation. Those who weigh more than 60 Kg can donate 450 ml of blood. |
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Then you must rest and relax for a few minutes. light snack or a refreshing drink are served. |
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The blood will then be taken to the laboratory for testing. |
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Once found safe, it will be kept in special storage and released when required. |
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Blood will be separated into components within eight hours of donation. |
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The blood is now ready to be taken to the hospital, to save lives. |
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Blood Groups |
Blood group is determined by which antigens the person's blood cells produce. An individual has many blood groups but two types of blood groups namely ABO - grouping and Rh - grouping are important. Rh is called as the Rhesus factor because these antigens were first discovered in Rhesus monkeys.
Most humans are in the ABO blood group. The ABO group has four categories namely
1) A group 2) B group 3) O group and 4) AB group
In the Rh - group, either the individual is said to be Rh - Negative or Rh - Positive.
Thus blood group of any human being will mainly fall in any one of the following
groups.
- A positive or A negative
- B positive or B negative
- O positive or O negative
- AB positive or AB negative. |
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DO NOT donate blood, if you have any of the following conditions |
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Cold / fever in the past 1 week. |
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Under treatment with antibiotics or any other medication. |
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Cardiac problems, hypertension, epilepsy, diabetes, history
of cancer, chronic kidney or liver disease, bleeding tendencies, venereal disease
etc. |
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Major surgery in the last 6 months. |
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Vaccination in the last 24 hours. |
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Had a miscarriage in the last 6 months or have been pregnant / lactating in the
last one year. |
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Had fainting attacks during last donation. |
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Have regularly received treatment with blood products. |
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Shared a needle to inject drugs/ have history of drug addiction. |
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Had sexual relations with different partners or with a high risk individual. |
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Been tested positive for antibodies to HIV. |
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Universal Donors and Recipients |
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The most common blood type is O, followed by type A.
Type O individuals are often called "universal donors" since their blood can be transfused into persons with any blood type. Those with type AB blood are called "universal recipients" because they can receive blood of any type.
However, since approximately twice as many people in the general population have O and A blood types, a blood bank's need for this type of blood increases exponentially. |
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DO donate blood, only if you satisfy all of the following conditions |
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You are between age group of 18-60 years. |
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Your weight is 45 kgs or more. |
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Your hemoglobin is 12.5 gm% minimum. |
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Your last blood donation was 3 or more months earlier. |
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You are healthy and have not suffered from malaria, typhoid or other transmissible
disease in the recent past. |
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A Healthy Donor |
A healthy diet helps ensure a successful blood donation, and also makes you feel
better! Check out the following recommended foods to eat prior to your donation.
- Low fat foods
- Iron rich foods |
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Blood Bank
A blood bank is a place designed especially for the storage of blood and blood products. Large specialized refrigerators hold these products at a constant temperature and they are available at request by a treating doctor. |
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About Blood Donation
Donating blood is a life saving measure especially when you have a rare blood type. Blood donation is safe and simple. It takes only about 10 minutes to donate blood - less than the time of an average telephone call. We can save up to 3 to 4 precious lives by donating blood.
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World Blood Donor Day
Every year, on 14 June, the day is celebrated as World Blood Donor Day to raise awareness globally about the need for regular and voluntary blood donation. |
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