In honor of International Plasma Awareness Week, we thought it would be helpful to share an overview of the differences between blood and plasma donations. The need for both types of donations is constant, but the process donation processes are distinct for each type.
When donating blood or plasma, you’ll undergo a basic health screening, show your ID form, and complete a brief questionnaire before entering a clinical setting for donation to make sure you’re in good health. Read on for more details about both types of donations:
A typical blood donation takes under one hour from the time you walk in the door of the donation center to the moment you walk out the door following your donation and rest period. Before entering the donation room, a medical professional will take a small blood sample from your finger to test your hemoglobin levels, take your blood pressure, and ask you to complete a brief health screening questionnaire.
Blood donors must be at least 17 years of age and weigh at least 110 pounds. Once screened, you’ll be eligible to donate every 56 days—be sure to drink plenty of water following your donation! You can walk away feeling proud knowing that just one blood donation, one pint of blood, can save the lives of up to three people.
During a plasma donation, you’ll spend anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours at the donation center. Like a blood donation, you’ll undergo a health screening and answer a questionnaire before entering the donation room. All plasma donors must be at least 18 years of age and weigh at least 110 pounds. However, because plasma can only be obtained from healthy donors, additional testing and examinations are required before you’ll be confirmed as an official donor.
Once you test negative for certain viruses and complete two health screenings within six months, you’ll be able to regularly donate plasma twice in a seven-day period. Unlike a blood donation, plasma is separated out during the donation process and the other blood components are returned to your body along with a saline solution. You’ll also be compensated for your time!
Will you sign up to donate the gift of life? Find a plasma donation center near you: https://www.donatingplasma.org/donation/find-a-donor-center.