What To Expect When Donating Blood

Criteria For Donation

Individuals must be at least sixteen years old and weigh a minimum of 110 pounds to donate blood. Whole blood donations can only be made once every fifty-six days. Patients must be at least seventeen years old for platelet, plasma, and double red cell donations. Female patients who wish to make a double red cell donation must be at least nineteen years old and have a minimum height of sixty-five inches. They must also weigh at least 150 pounds.

In addition to these minimum requirements, donors of all blood products must be in good health. Patients with cold or flu symptoms should reschedule their donation after their symptoms resolve. Individuals also have to delay donation if they have had a recent piercing or tattoo done. Typically, they must wait at least six months, particularly for a tattoo. Patients who have recently had dental work must wait at least twenty-four hours if the work was minor. Any major dental work means they must wait thirty days. Some patients who were traveling recently will have to delay their donation. This applies if they went to any countries with a significant risk of mosquito-borne infections, including malaria and Zika virus.

Learn more about who cannot donate blood next.