How Often Should You Donate Blood? An informative blog about how often a healthy individual can donate blood.
World blood donor day is observed every year on June 14 with an aim to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products for transfusion, as per the World Health Organization (WHO). The day also highlights the critical contribution that voluntary and unpaid blood donors make to the health systems to save lives.
The day is observed to support and provide an opportunity to health authorities to provide adequate resources to increase blood collection from voluntary, unpaid blood donors, as well as to manage access to blood and transfusion. It also supports “national blood transfusion services, blood donor organizations, and other non-governmental organizations in strengthening and expanding their voluntary blood donor programs by reinforcing national and local campaigns,” said the WHO.
The campaign was started in 2004 by WHO along with several partners including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT), and the World Association for Blood Transfusion (WABT). The purpose behind this was to increase awareness about voluntary blood donation among people across the world through various activities such as seminars, press releases, or social media posts.
How Often Should You Donate Blood?
Here's the answer: If you're healthy, once every 56 days.
A lot of people are surprised to hear that. They think they should be able to donate as often as they want. And for many years, that's what the Red Cross and other blood banks allowed. But these days, with so many people needing blood, it's important to make sure that those who give it are healthy and well-rested.
This is how it works: About two weeks after you donate, your body begins to replenish its red blood cells and platelets. These are the components of blood most needed by trauma victims and others who need transfusions quickly. So if they're not available when needed, there can be disastrous consequences — even death.
The rule of thumb is that if you've donated within the past 56 days (two months), you're good to go again.
Blood donation is a gift of life and a selfless act. It is also an important part of the efforts to ensure sufficient blood supply for patients in need.
The American Red Cross and other blood collection organizations recommend that healthy adults donate blood every 12 weeks. This recommendation is based on several factors, including:
Your age
Your gender
Whether you live in high-risk areas for certain infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS or hepatitis B or C
How often you've donated before
Any recent travel to developing countries