Who is a donor and why is their blood needed A donor is a person who voluntarily donates their blood for transfusion to others. Blood is needed: for injuries with blood loss (traffic accidents, disasters); for surgeries; for difficult births; for patients with hemophilia, leukemia, aplastic anemia; for patients with burns; for cancer treatment (chemotherapy suppresses blood formation). Donor blood is also used to produce drugs (albumin, immunoglobulin). One dose (450 ml) can save up to three lives. In Russia, the need for blood is about 1.5 million liters per year. It is provided by volunteers. Blood groups and Rh-factor: why it is important Human blood is divided into 4 groups (0/I, A/II, B/III, AB/IV) according to the ABO system and into Rh-positive (Rh+) and Rh-negative (Rh-). A match of the group and Rh is necessary for transfusion, otherwise the recipient's immune system will destroy the donor's red blood cells (hemolysis), which can lead to death. The universal donor is group 0(I) Rh- (negative), but there are few such people (about 7% of the population). The universal recipient is group AB(IV) Rh+. Knowing your blood group is important not only for donation but also for emergency situations. The group can be determined at a polyclinic or when donating blood. Who can be a donor Requirements: age from 18 years; weight not less than 50 kg; absence of chronic infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, syphilis); absence of oncology; normal blood pressure; not pregnant or breastfeeding; not suffering from severe cardiovascular diseases; not having had a tattoo or piercing in the last year; not having been sick in the last 2 weeks; not having consumed alcohol for 48 hours, not smoking for an hour before donation. Temporary exclusions: menstruation, taking antibiotics, after surgery, after vaccination. A full list of contraindications is provided by the doctor. How the blood donation process is carried out Process: come to a blood transfu ... Read more