JAMA PATIENT PAGE

Blood Donation
Blood delivers oxygen and other important substances to tissues throughout the body.

Why Is Blood Donation Important?

Blood donation is a safe procedure that helps save lives. Blood donors in the US
Receiving donated blood can be lifesaving for patients with blood must be at least 16 or 17 years old, depending on state laws. Individuals who are
loss due to trauma, surgery, or gastrointestinal bleeding and for in- pregnant, weigh less than 110 lb, or have certain medical conditions are not
allowed to donate blood.
dividuals with low blood cell counts due to certain medical condi-
Blood donation process
tions (such as kidney disease, HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, or
Individuals complete a standard health
Crohn disease) or treatments (such as chemotherapy). questionnaire and have a physical
examination and fingerstick blood test
to check if they are eligible to donate.
Who Is Eligible to Donate Blood in the US? Blood is collected from donors after
In the US, individuals must be 16 or 17 years old to donate blood (the insertion of a needle into a vein
in their arm.
age cutoff varies by state), and all 16-year-old donors must have a Individuals are closely monitored
signed parental consent form. People not permitted to donate blood during and immediately after
blood donation.
include those who are pregnant (and for 6 weeks after pregnancy),
Common side effects of blood donation
who weigh less than 110 lb (50 kg), or who have certain medical con- can include fatigue and arm soreness
ditions (such as severe heart or lung disease, hemophilia, iron- or bruising. Serious side effects are rare.

deficiency anemia, or chronic leukemia).

What to Expect Prior to and During Blood Donation US blood donation sites Donated blood is used for
transfusions in patients with
Potential donors are asked a standard set of questions to deter- • The American Red Cross blood loss or low blood counts.
mine if they are in good health and do not have any medical condi- • America’s Blood Centers
• Association for the
tions or illnesses that would disqualify them from donating blood. Advancement of
A brief physical examination is performed, including measurement Blood & Biotherapies
• Vitalant
of temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure, to make sure vital
signs are stable. A fingerstick blood sample is checked to assess for
Individuals may donate whole blood up to 6 times
low blood cell count (anemia), which may exclude individuals from per year but must wait at least 8 weeks between donations.
donating blood.
During whole blood donation, donors are seated, a needle is in-
serted into a vein in the arm, and approximately 500 mL of blood is wait at least 56 days (8 weeks) between donations to allow time for
slowly removed. Blood donors are closely monitored during and af- blood cells to be replenished.
ter donation and are offered liquids and a snack prior to leaving the Information about where to donate blood can be obtained by
blood donation site. contacting
• American Red Cross: www.redcrossblood.org, 1-800-733-2767
Potential Complications of Blood Donation • America’s Blood Centers: americasblood.org/, 202-393-5725
Most individuals do not experience serious complications from blood • Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies: www.
donation, although 2% to 5% feel faint or lose consciousness be- aabb.org, 301-907-6977
fore, during, or after blood removal. Common side effects from blood • Vitalant; www.vitalant.org/, 1-877-258-4825
donation include fatigue and bruising or soreness in the area where
the needle was inserted. Iron deficiency can occur in blood donors
who have low iron stores and is most common in teenagers, pre- FOR MORE INFORMATION
menopausal females, and those who donate blood 3 or more times Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
a year. www.cdc.gov/bloodsafety/index.html

How Often and Where to Donate Blood To find this and other JAMA Patient Pages, go to the Patient
According to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, Information collection at jamanetworkpatientpages.com.
individuals may donate whole blood up to 6 times per year but must

Author: Kristin Walter, MD, MS
Published Online: October 12, 2023. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.16345
Author Affiliation: Senior Editor, JAMA.
Conflict of Interest Disclosures: None reported.
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