Did you know that with a simple gesture you can save the lives of 3 people in need? Yes, yes, as you read it. And it is that blood donation is VERY important, as much or more than the conservation of the environment, as having an altruistic attitude towards life or helping others.
Donating blood is something that makes us better people, without a doubt. A simple gesture from time to time (2 or 3 months) is necessary since every few seconds there will be someone in the world who needs blood to live. And if it is in your hands to save him? Don’t you think it’s a beautiful gesture to do in your life?
However, when we decide to make a donation, it is normal for us to be assailed by thousands of frequent doubts about the requirements that are needed, the questions that can be asked or about whether or not you can donate according to certain characteristics, You have come to the right place.
Why should you donate blood?
Before beginning to resolve doubts, we must stop for a moment in the reasons that can lead you to donate blood. As we said, with a simple extraction (around 450 milliliters) we can save up to 3 lives of the people who need it most at that moment.
Blood also has an expiration date. This means, according to experts in blood donations, that it is not worth going just once since it is not something that can be manufactured and cannot even be stored indefinitely. In other words, it can only be obtained from the extraction of other people who, without profit, go to the donation centers to extract their own blood. This blood is essential for emergencies and for operations in which a transfusion is required.
Do the reasons seem few to you? Therefore, if it is your first time, you must be very, very calm, since it is a simple, simple process and in which you will be accompanied by doctors or nurses who will help you at all times. As if this were not enough, blood donation is a procedure that will not last more than 30 minutes. Why not spend a little bit of your free time in solidarity? I’m sure you’ll feel much better about yourself afterwards!
The requirements you need to donate blood
When going to donate blood you need to meet a series of requirements for the procedure to be accepted. Among them are the following:
- Be over 18 years old and under 65. Despite this, there are countries where donations are accepted for those under 18 and over 65, as long as the rest of the requirements are met.
- Have a weight greater than 50 kilos. The reason for this is that these people will not be able to donate the minimum (450 ml) and, furthermore, it is not advisable for their health.
- Not having ever had certain diseases such as hepatitis, AIDS or HIV, malaria and a long etcetera. To donate blood you must be completely healthy and in good health.
- Neither can people who have had or have cancer, nor those who have received a blood transfusion or transplant at some point in their lives, be able to donate.
- People who come to donate must have normal blood pressure. The result of this tension can be seen at the moment, after passing a list of medical questions and a simple control.
- Those people who have had an infection in a period of time prior to the donation, nor those who are taking certain medications or antibiotics will not be able to donate either.
- From the donation centers they remember that it is best to donate every two months, with a maximum of 4 donations per year by men and 3 by women.
- They also warn of the need to go to donate before the vacation periods because donations are greatly reduced, but the needs are still very present.
- To go to donate it will be necessary to take with you in DNI, the passport or the residence card that identifies you.
The necessary preparation before going to donate
When you decide to go to a donation center you must take into account some premises so that you can be in perfect condition at the time of extraction. As we said, they will carry out a small medical examination to verify that everything is fine and that you are in good health at that time.
It is necessary that the person who comes to donate is not fasting, but maintains a normal intake of food and drinks before the extraction. Of course, it is not recommended to eat too copious or fatty meals because they can alter the blood.
In addition, it is essential to sleep well the night before the donation and to avoid smoking for at least one hour before the donation. On the other hand, if the person who comes to donate has low iron levels, it can be prepared by eating foods such as red meat, fish, eggs or legumes.
What is the blood donation process?
The process to donate blood has some phases that you should know. In all of them you will not take more than 30 minutes, as we said at the beginning of the article, so it will not be too difficult for you to face all of them.
1 medical interview
The first thing you should do is read a brief information about the donation so that you can be much calmer. In addition to this, you must sign an authorization or a necessary consent for the extraction that will appear along with some legal aspects.
Then, you will have to fill out a medical interview form, although it is usual for a doctor to do it for you. In it, you will have to answer certain questions about your health, both past and present, such as if you have had any illness or if you have ever used drugs.
In this sense, they will also carry out a medical examination where they will measure your blood pressure, your blood pressure and a series of other things to verify that, indeed, your health is in perfect condition. In addition, they will perform a test for the detection of anemia necessary before facing the donation.
2 The blood donation process
Once all these medical controls have been completed, it will be time to sit down and face the extraction of your own blood. Don’t worry! It will not hurt at all, the only thing you will feel is how the needle is inserted, which is a little wider than the one used for common blood tests.
Your blood will begin to leave your body and enter a 450-milliliter bag that you will have near you. In said bag it will be mixed with anticoagulant to prevent the blood from falling badly and to control the amount that is being extracted. From that moment on, your blood will be analyzed and divided into three, for three different people: red blood cells (for certain operations, complicated deliveries…), plasma (liver patients, heart transplants …) and platelets (heart patients). Leukemia, bone marrow transplants…)
In this process, your blood will be carefully analyzed to detect any irregularities or analyzes that are not correct. Even if you have undergone certain medical tests before the extraction, it is preferable to maintain as much security as possible to avoid any type of problem. Afterwards, your blood will be taken to the hospitals that have requested it and will help other people who need it.
3 How will you feel after donating?
Once the blood has been extracted, they will provide you with a piece of cotton to squeeze the area and avoid getting a big bruise. The doctors will be there to help you and attend to you in case you suffer any dizziness or any adverse effect from the blood draw. For this reason, they will ask you to get up very slowly and to remain seated for a few minutes to remain calm.
At that time it is common for them to give you a small snack, with some drinks so that you can recover as soon as possible and can continue with your day with total normality and comfort. It is recommended, in any case, not to smoke immediately afterwards and not to exert yourself too much during the next two hours, such as intense physical exercise.