(Q) Who can give blood? Why is one not allowed to donate blood before attaining the age of 18 years?
(A) Anyone between 18 and 65 years of age and in normal health having a body weight of 45 kg. or more and a hemoglobin content not less than 12.5 g/100 ml can be a donor. Physiologically there is no harm if one satisfies other conditions for blood donation. 18 being the age of consent in our country, the reason is legal.
(Q) Can one donate blood after 65 years of age if he/she is physically fit?
(A) Yes, medically speaking, there would be nothing wrong.
(Q) Then why people above 65 years of age are not allowed to donate blood in India?
(A) With ageing, blood vessels start constricting. Blood-letting from constricted veins may lead to unnecessary pressure on heart resulting in many physiological problems. It is not known at what age blood vessels start constricting. It varies from individual to individual. Therefore, arbitrarily the retiring age is considered as the age of cutoff for blood donation.
(Q) Why blood is not collected from a person having a hemoglobin content of less than 12.5gm/100ml?
(A) The stipulated hemoglobin content of 12.5 gm/100 ml for a donor is the standard for a healthy person. Persons having less Hb content than the prescribed one cannot be treated as healthy donor having sufficient Hb for donations and hence are not allowed to donate blood. Further, blood weak in Hb content does not help the patient much in carrying oxygen to cells.
(Q) Why 3 months' interval has been stipulated though donated blood is recuperated within 21 days?
(A) As an additional precautionary measure for safety of donor.