Is It Safe To Donate Blood When Pregnant?

Your body’s blood volume increases to help cater to your increased oxygen and nutritional needs. Therefore, donating blood when pregnant may not be a very wise decision. Although you may have been donating blood for the noble purpose of helping humankind, at this juncture of your life, you need to help yourself and your growing baby before you are ready to help others. Read this post to know more about why pregnant women should not donate blood and when they may resume.

Why Can’t Pregnant Women Donate Blood?

The Red Cross discourages pregnant women from donating blood. You may feel this is unfair. But it is not some form of discrimination. Your body produces some extra blood during pregnancy. But you need this blood to sustain your baby’s life in the womb. If you go ahead and donate blood, you’ll be putting your and your baby’s circulation under stress.

There is no clear reason as to why a pregnant woman should not donate blood. But anemia is a big concern during pregnancy. And donating blood can make the condition worse (1).

Not just that. You are also not advised to donate blood till you are breastfeeding your baby. The Australian Red Cross has a waiting period of nine months after childbirth before you will be allowed to give blood. If you are continuing to breastfeed after this period, the blood bank may ask you to wait till your baby is off breast milk before you donate blood. This is because breastfeeding infants depend on breast milk for all their nutrient needs. Donating blood may deny her some of these essential nutrients. This nine-month waiting period is sufficient to replenish the iron content in your blood.

In the US, mothers are allowed to donate blood six weeks after delivery. But you need to think twice before you go ahead.

The only reason you may be allowed to give blood while pregnant is if your doctor thinks you might need blood transfusion during delivery. So, in that case, you’ll be donating blood to your future self!

Even if there is no apparent reason behind prohibiting a pregnant woman from donating blood, why risk it? Being pregnant may not be a handicap, but it is a tough job. You need to be at your healthiest to nurture the tiny flame of life growing inside you. And you’ll get poked by endless number of needles during your pregnancy. Why add another one? Yes, you want to help society. That is a noble thought. But can’t you wait for a few months?

Who Else Is On The List?

If you feel you are healthy and fit to donate blood, you’ll still be turned away from a blood bank. But don’t feel left out! There’s a list of people are cannot donate blood (2). You can’t give blood if:

1. You are pregnant.
2. You are suffering from cough and cold.
3. You are currently on antibiotics.
4. You had any infection in the last couple of weeks.
5. You’ve had a tattoo or any other cosmetic treatment in the last four months.
6. You have a family history of CJD (Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease) (3).
7. You’ve received human pituitary extract as part of fertility treatment.
8. You have hemophilia and have received clotting factor concentrates.

Infographic: What Happens To The Body After Donating Blood?

If you are not pregnant and otherwise healthy, donating blood can seldom cause you any harm. Side effects are often short-term, and it may take some time to restore the body to a state before blood donation. You may keep this infographic handy since it contains blood donation’s benefits and adverse effects on your body.

References

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