Donation of blood and its components is an exclusively voluntary donation of blood by a person, as well as various activities that are aimed at ensuring and organizing the safety of harvesting the taken material. It should be especially noted that this practice began to be actively used during the war years. You will learn how to donate blood for donation, whether it is safe or not, from the materials of the presented article.
What is it for?
Blood donation is common in almost all countries. It is taken for educational and research purposes, for the production of medicines and medical supplies. The clinical use of such a material and its components is associated with the transfusion of a patient for medical purposes, as well as to create supplies that may be needed in an emergency.
Why don't they use substitutes?
Even with advances in technology and scientific discoveries, blood donationdoes not lose its relevance. After all, its artificial substitutes are toxic, have many side effects, are unreasonably expensive, and are also not able to fully reproduce all the functions of this material in the body. In this regard, donor blood is indispensable for transfusions to victims of various injuries and burns, during complex operations, as well as during difficult births.
It should be especially noted that the stocks of such material are vital for patients with anemia, hemophilia and cancer patients during chemotherapy. According to statistics, every third inhabitant of our planet needs donated blood at least once in their life. One cannot ignore the fact that in our country there is a catastrophic shortage of blood products and its components (domestic production). That is why it was decided to open the federal program "Blood Service", which encourages the people of Russia to donate free of charge.
Emblem in different countries
Blood is donated in almost all countries of the world. Moreover, some of them even have a corresponding emblem. So, in the countries of Scandinavia, the image of a pelican with drops of blood is used. A bird tearing its breast to feed its chicks symbolizes selfless love. Christian authors often compared this animal to Jesus Christ, who sacrificed himself for the salvation of all people.
Donor Day
Donating blood is optional. However, everyone is encouraged to do so. Not so long ago, it was decided to declare June 14 as World Donor Day. This daychose and established three organizations that advocate for free and voluntary blood donation. These include the International Federation of the Red Cross Society, the International Society for Blood Transfusion and the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations.
It should also be noted that Russia celebrates National Donor Day on April 20.
Types of donation
Blood donation, the benefits and harms of which have long been known to everyone, involves blood sampling. However, material from a particular person can be taken for different purposes. Consider the types of donation in more detail.
Auto donation. This is a preparation of the patient's own blood before the next planned surgical operation. As you know, the transfusion of foreign material is stressful for any organism. But using your own allows you to minimize all side effects.
Whole blood donation. Such material sampling involves subsequent resuspension in a preservative solution, as a result of which the blood is separated into components, processed or transfused.
Donor plasmapheresis. Such blood donation is done manually or automatically. With manual plasmapheresis, the material is taken into a special sterile bag. Then it is centrifuged, divided into plasma and erythrocyte mass (using a plasma extractor), after which the latter is returned to the donor. In this case, the volume of circulating blood is replenished with an adequate amount of saline.
In automatic plasmapheresis, a person is connected to a separator. Blood during such a procedure is taken completely. Further, it is divided into formed elements and plasma, after which the former are returned to the donor. Blood purification is carried out in a similar way.
Donor plateletpheresis. Such a fence is carried out using a special apparatus. A platelet mass is isolated from the donor's blood. As you know, it is essential in the chemotherapy of cancer patients and other abnormalities that are accompanied by thrombocytopenia. Platelet harvesting is quite expensive. That is why only those people who have already donated material in this way more than once are invited to such blood donation. Indeed, in this case, specialists have complete confidence that they do not have transmissible infections.
Donor granulocytapheresis (or leukocytapheresis). Patients with severe infectious complications are in dire need of granulocytes, which are a type of white blood cell. The procedure for donating them is similar to collecting platelets. It should be noted that the transfusion of granulocytes is usually carried out within a few hours after their collection from a donor.
Immune plasma donation. Voluntary blood donation in this way involves immunizing a person with a safe strain of an infectious agent. Plasma, which is subsequently taken from such a donor, contains antibodies to the pathogen and can be used for the manufacture of drugs. In some casesthe material is transfused to debilitated patients in its pure form as a component of polyvalent therapy or for prophylactic purposes.
Donor erythrocytepheresis. The erythrocyte mass obtained in this way is essential for patients with anemia and other abnormalities, which are accompanied by a decrease in blood formation and a low level of hemoglobin. Manual sampling is similar to plasmapheresis. The only difference is that during erythrocytepheresis, all the remaining blood components return to the donor's body, except for the erythrocyte mass. That is why the introduction of saline is no longer required to replenish its volume.
Basic requirements, rights and obligations of a donor
Almost everyone knows how to donate blood. However, not everyone knows the requirements that apply to such people.
Only a capable person who has reached the age of 18 can be a blood donor. Such a person must be a citizen of the Russian Federation or reside on its territory (legally) for at least 1 year. The donor must express a voluntary desire to become one, undergo a medical examination that will not reveal any contraindications for donating the material.
Before donating blood, a person must:
- present your passport or other identification document;
- pass a medical examination;
- report all information about past infectious diseases, about contacts with infectious patients, about the use of narcotic and psychotropicsubstances, about staying in a territory where there was a threat of the emergence or spread of epidemics (mass infectious diseases), about working with dangerous or harmful working conditions, as well as any vaccinations and surgical operations that were performed during the year before the blood donation.
What are the conditions for donating blood?
Among modern people, not only gratuitous donation of material is very popular, but also blood donation for money. However, in any case, before such a procedure, a person needs to register, fill out a questionnaire, and also undergo a medical examination. Thus, the donor should donate blood to analyze the level of hemoglobin (taken from a finger), and then visit a transfusiologist. All these activities take place directly at the donor site and do not take much time.
To donate whole blood every six months, the volunteer should be retested. If a person is not at the point, then his prepared blood is destroyed. When donating material more than three times within 1 year, the donor needs to do an ECG with interpretation, chest x-ray, give urine and blood for analysis, and also receive a certificate from an infectious disease specialist, which will confirm the absence of contact with infectious patients and patients with hepatitis. Women should be examined by a gynecologist.
Blood donation: benefits and harms
Properly done collection of material never harms the donor, and evenhelps him. Saving someone's life, a volunteer does good not only to another person, but also to himself. This is expressed as:
- When the material is taken, the function of hematopoiesis begins to noticeably activate, resulting in self-renewal of blood. After all, it was not without reason that even in the Middle Ages, bloodletting was often used to treat certain abnormalities.
- The benefit of blood donation also lies in the fact that as a result of such procedures, the spleen and liver are significantly unloaded in a person. After all, part of their function is the disposal of dead red blood cells.
- The human body begins to noticeably develop immunity to even a small blood loss.
- Blood sampling is a kind of prevention of diseases of the digestive system, cardiovascular system, etc.
What harm can donation do?
Why do some people consider blood donation dangerous? Harm from this procedure can really take place, but only if it was carried out incorrectly. However, only professionals work in donor centers, who exclude such a possibility.
It should also be noted that infection of a volunteer during blood donation is unlikely, as:
- the injection site is disinfected with alcohol or a special solution;
- blood is taken using a new system that is unpacked directly from the donor;
- in the case of the selection of any individual components of the blood of herthe remainder is poured back through the same system; the volunteer can easily verify that only their data is on the tank.
Despite all of the above, the risk of infection still remains. However, this can only happen with direct blood transfusion. Although such a measure is taken only in special cases, when there are no conditions or time to carry out all the necessary preparatory measures.
Contraindications for donation
Depending on previous surgeries and illnesses, a person may not be allowed to donate blood (permanently or temporarily).
Temporary contraindications include ear piercing, tattooing, vaccinations, certain infectious diseases (ARI, SARS), operations, including abortions, lactation and pregnancy. To donate blood in such cases, you should wait 3 or more months.
Permanent contraindications include the presence of AIDS, viral hepatitis, acquired or congenital syphilis, carriage of HIV infection, eczema, generalized psoriasis, complete blindness, complete lack of speech and hearing, drug addiction, malignant neoplasms, alcoholism, surgical interventions for about transplantation or resection of any organs and tissues.
Recommendations for donors
Before direct blood donation is not recommended for donors:
- drink alcohol less than 2 days in advance;
- donate blood on an empty stomach (in the morning it is advisable to eat a carbohydrate, but low-fat breakfast);
- the night beforeeat fatty, spicy, fried, smoked, butter, dairy products and eggs;
- smoking less than 1 hour before the procedure;
- take Aspirin and analgesics, as well as any medicines containing them (72 hours before the procedure);
- donate blood if you feel unwell, have a headache, feel chills, feel dizzy or feel weak.
After the procedure, the donor should refrain from heavy physical exertion. Within 2 days after donating blood, you need to eat well, and also drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day (tea, juices and water). To restore pressure, the volunteer needs to consume foods such as coffee, chocolate and hematogen.
Donor Restrictions
As you know, blood donation leads to a significant loss of fluid in the human body, as well as a decrease in pressure. In this regard, the following restrictions were imposed on donors:
- Male men are allowed to donate whole blood no more than 5 times a year, while women - no more than 4 times in 12 months.
- According to the current rules in our country, you can donate whole blood no more than 1 time in 2 months.
- Plasma can only be donated after 14 days.
- After taking whole blood, donating plasma is only allowed after a month.
- It is not allowed to donate blood after a sleepless night.
- Volunteer must not weigh less than 45 kg. Body temperature before donating blood should be no higher than 37 ° C, and pressure - from 80 to 160 mm Hg. Art. and from 70 to 100mmHg Art. respectively. The donor's heart rate should be around 55-100 beats per minute.
- Women of the weaker sex should not donate whole blood during menstruation or seven days before their onset, as well as within a week after. In addition, women are prohibited from becoming donors during lactation and pregnancy.
Summarize
Where do they donate blood? If you have no contraindications to donating your material, then you should contact the nearest donor center. As a rule, they are available in every city of the Russian Federation.
