Blood donations
According to the Red Cross Blood Service, Australians make about 1.2 million blood donations every year. These donations are made by about half a million donors, which represents about 3.5 per cent of Australia’s eligible donor population.
Blood donations are used in the treatment of people with major medical conditions (such as cancer, heart disease and stomach and bowel disease); accident and burns victims; people undergoing surgery; people with bleeding disorders; and in newborn babies and pregnant women.
As there is as yet no suitable artificial substitute for blood, a constant supply of donors is needed to maintain supplies, so by becoming a donor you will become part of an essential community service.
Becoming a blood donor
Not everyone is eligible to become a blood donor. There are a number of reasons that may prevent you from being a blood donor, either temporarily or permanently. Some of these include:
- age (the minimum age for donors is 16 years; people older than 80 cannot donate; and those over 70 cannot donate without written approval from a doctor);
- weighing less than 45 kg;
- being pregnant, recently pregnant or breast feeding;
- current or recent short-term illness;
- certain previous illnesses or treatments;
- recently having a tattoo or body piercing;
- certain lifestyle issues; and
- having lived in the UK between 1980 and 1996 for a total (cumulative) time of 6 months or more.
What does it involve?
Donating blood is safe and easy. It takes about 60 to 90 minutes altogether. When you go to donate you will first need to complete a detailed health history questionnaire. After this, a nurse will go through the questionnaire with you and you will be asked to sign a declaration stating that you meet the medical guidelines designed to protect the health of both donors and recipients.
The next step is a brief physical examination that includes checking your blood pressure, weight, and haemoglobin (red blood cell) levels.
If you pass the screening tests, the actual donation process — which takes between 7 and 10 minutes — begins. You’ll be asked to sit in a reclining chair while a new, sterile needle connected to a plastic tubing and blood bag is inserted into a vein in your arm. One unit of blood (usually 470 mL) is collected and sent to the laboratory for testing and processing.
After you have donated, you can sit back and relax with some light refreshments. You don’t have to worry about ‘losing too much blood’ as you will have donated only about 8 per cent of your total blood volume. Your body typically replenishes the fluid lost in about 24 hours while the red blood cells lost are generally replaced in a few weeks.
Plasma donation
Plasma donation is an automated process where the donor's blood is collected, the red cells and plasma (the clear fluid left after removal of the blood cells) are separated, and then the red cells are returned to the donor. If you donate plasma, you can donate more frequently because you are not giving your red cells.
Donors can also donate platelets (components of blood that help the blood to clot).
How often can I donate?
You can usually give whole blood every 12 weeks and plasma every 2 to 3 weeks.
Further information
If you have any questions about blood donation, or want to find out the location of your nearest donation centre, contact the Red Cross Blood Service on 13 14 95.
Last Reviewed: 11 October 2007
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