Blood donation: benefits, procedures, and conditions

Blood donation is a medical procedure that allows you to give blood to those in need. Many people who have tried it once, get addicted and end up making this a routine activity. If you want to try it, make sure your body is in prime condition and has met the requirements for blood donation. Check out the sundries about blood donation below.

What is blood donation?

Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, blood donation is a voluntary procedure that can help save the lives of others. Blood from each donor will be collected through a sterile single-use needle, then collected in a sterile blood bag.

The American Association of Blood Banks states that generally, once you donate, about 500 ml of your blood will be drawn. This is approximately 8% of your total blood.

This procedure may be performed by donating whole blood or certain blood components, such as platelets or plasma. The amount given in this particular blood component blood donation procedure will depend on your height, weight, and your platelet count.

Blood donation in Indonesia is regulated by Government Regulation no. 2/2011 concerning blood donation services regulated by the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) as a social and humanitarian goal.

This procedure under PMI's supervision is also guaranteed by Law no. 36/2009 concerning Health, that the government is responsible for the implementation of blood donor services that are safe, easily accessible, and in accordance with the needs of the community.

Who can donate blood?

Not everyone is allowed to do this procedure. The requirements that you need to fulfill if you want to donate blood include:

• Ages 17-65 years old can donate blood
• Pass a medical check-up before donating blood
• has a body weight of not less than 45 kilograms and is healthy, both physically and mentally
• Your blood pressure should be 100-170 (systolic) and 70-100 (diastolic)
• The blood hemoglobin level at the time of the examination should be in the range of 12.5g% - 17g%

What are the benefits of blood donation for health?

The procedure for donating blood is not only beneficial for other people, but also for you as a donor. The following are the benefits of blood donation for your health:

• Improve your heart health. This procedure can regularly reduce the thickness of your blood, which is a risk factor for heart disease. Donating blood can also reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Reducing the risk of cancer. Blood donation can also reduce the risk of cancer, such as liver cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, and throat cancer.
• Burn calories. By donating your blood about 500 ml, you actually burn your calories around 650 calories.

What should be done before this procedure?

There are several things you need to pay attention to before doing this procedure, namely:

• Get enough nutrition and body fluids with iron-rich foods and drinks, such as red meat, chicken, fish, dairy products, nuts and seeds, and spinach.
• Avoid fatty foods, such as fast food or ice cream, which can trick blood test results.
• Also avoid consuming alcohol before the D-day of blood donation.
• Try to get enough sleep the night before doing this procedure.
• Drink plenty of water or other non-alcoholic drinks before donating.
• Wear clothes that easily roll up above the elbows, or wear a T-shirt on the day you donate blood to make it easier.

How is the blood donation process?

From start to finish, the blood donation process will take approximately one hour. However, the actual process of drawing your own blood only takes about 8-10 minutes.

In general, the steps for the blood donation process are:

1. Registration

You will be asked to show an identity card (KTP / SIM / Passport) and a donor card (if you have one) and fill out a registration form regarding personal identity, including the donor's ID number (if you are a regular donor).

2. Health examination

The service officer will interview you about your medical history and illness. At this stage, your blood pressure, hemoglobin level, body temperature and pulse will be measured.

3. Donate

Blood donation is performed in a sitting or lying position, and is performed by a trained health professional. A sterile needle will be inserted into the skin at the inner elbow for 8-10 minutes while about 500 ml of blood and several tubes of blood samples are collected. After that, the officer will cover the injection site with a bandage.

4. Take breaks

You will be given time to recover by enjoying the food and drinks provided by the organizer to recharge after losing a lot of fluid volume.

A small percentage of people may experience the side effects of blood donation such as dizziness or stomach upset. However, in general, you will still feel fine and be able to resume your activities right away.

You may also experience bruising at the injection site. Very rarely, donors experience loss of consciousness, nerve damage, or arterial damage.

What to do after the donor?

After donating blood, you are advised to sit down for a while drinking water or eat small meals. Afterward, you can get up slowly to make sure you don't feel dizzy.

Some things that you need to pay attention to after donating include:

• Limit your physical activity for at least 5 hours after donating, don't do strenuous activity on that day.
• Remove the plaster at least 4-5 hours after blood donation is finished.
• It is best not to stand long in direct sunlight and not drink hot drinks.
• If you smoke, you should not smoke for two hours after donating blood.
• If you drink alcohol, you should not drink alcohol until 24 hours after donating.
• Drink lots of fluids to replace your lost body fluids, at least drink more 4 glasses of water the day you donate.
• Eat foods that contain:
  • High iron, such as lean red meat, spinach, fish, chicken, and nuts.
  • Vitamin C, such as oranges, kiwi, and guava.
  • Folic acid, such as oranges, green vegetables, cereals, and rice.
  • Riboflavin (vitamin B2), such as eggs, yogurt, green vegetables, and nuts.
  • Vitamin B6, such as potatoes, bananas, red meat, fish, eggs, spinach, and nuts.

The body takes several weeks to be able to replace the red blood cells lost after donation. At this point, it's best to watch your food intake so that new, healthier red blood cells form quickly.

Immediately to the doctor if….

If you feel things like the following, you should immediately contact the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) where you donated blood or your doctor.

• Continue to feel nauseous or lightheaded after resting, eating and drinking.
• There is a lump, bleeding, or pain at the injection site when you remove the bandage.
• Feeling pain or tingling under your arm, which can radiate to your fingers.
• Become ill with cold or flu symptoms, such as fever, headache, or sore throat, within four days of this procedure.