See also answers to common concerns about donating blood
Why is blood needed?
Blood helps keep the body healthy. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body, and takes carbon dioxide and other waste products to the lungs, kidneys, and liver for disposal. It fights infections, and helps heal wounds. It is needed to sustain the lives of people whose blood functions have been impaired by injury or illness.
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How much blood is donated each year?
According to the National Blood Data Resource Center, U.S. institutions collected more than 15 million units of whole blood and red cells in 2001, the most recent year for which data are available. Blood centers collected 93% of the donated units, while hospitals collected 7%. These donations were made by approximately eight million volunteer blood donors. The American Red Cross collects almost half of these donations across the U.S.
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How much blood is needed each year?
According to the most recent data from the National Blood Data Resource Center, U.S. hospitals transfused nearly 14 million units of whole blood and red blood cells to 4.9 million patients in 2001 - that's an average of 38,000 units of blood needed on any given day. Whole blood can be separated into its components red blood cells, plasma, platelets, and cryoprecipitate. The total number of units of all of these components transfused in 2001 was 29 million. And the volume of blood transfused is increasing at the rate of 6% per year. In emergency conditions such as war or disaster, the need for blood may change.
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What is done with donated blood?
Typically, each donated unit of blood - referred to as whole blood - is separated into multiple components, such as red blood cells, plasma, platelets, and cryoprecipatitated AHF (antihemophilic factor). Each component can be transfused to different individuals with different needs. Therefore, each donation can be used to help save as many as three lives.
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Who needs blood?
Under normal circumstances, every two seconds someone in America will need a blood transfusion. Blood transfusions are used for trauma victims - due to accidents and burns - heart surgery, organ transplants, women with complications during childbirth, newborns and premature babies, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or other diseases, such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia.
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What are the components of blood and their use?
The primary components of whole blood are red blood cells, platelets, plasma, and cryoprecipitate.
| Blood product |
Main uses |
| Whole blood |
Open heart surgery, newborns |
| Red blood cells |
Trauma, anemia, surgery |
| Platelets |
Cancer patients receiving chemotherapy |
| Fresh frozen plasma |
Massive transfusions |
| Plasma |
Burns |
| Cryoprecipitate |
Hemophilia |
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Can you accumulate and store blood?
Blood has a limited shelf life. The different components of blood can last from 5 days to a year or more.
- Platelets must be used within 5 days of donation.
- Red blood cells may be stored under refrigeration for a maximum of 42 days. Frozen red blood cells can last up to 10 years, but because of the high cost involved, only a small portion of the blood supply can be frozen.
- Plasma is generally frozen and must be used within one year.
Because blood is perishable, new donations are needed every day.
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What blood type is needed most?
All blood types are needed. Common blood types are needed because there are many patients with them. Less common blood types are needed because there are fewer donors to give them. However, people with O- blood are particularly in demand because they are the "universal donor." It means that people of all blood types can receive O- blood safely, so it is used during life-threatening emergencies or when the matching blood type is in short supply. AB types are universal recipients. This relationship is reversed for plasma products. AB type plasma can be transfused to all patients, while O- types are the universal plasma recipients. Therefore, all types are really needed!
| Blood Type |
Distribution of Blood Type in U.S. Population* |
Percent of U.S. Population You Can Receive Red Blood Cells From |
Percent of U.S. Population You Can Give Red Blood Cells To |
| O + |
38% |
45% |
84% |
| O - |
7% |
7% |
100% |
| A + |
34% |
85% |
37% |
| A - |
6% |
13% |
44% |
| B + |
9% |
56% |
12% |
| B - |
2% |
9% |
15% |
| AB + |
3% |
100% |
3% |
| AB - |
1% |
16% |
4% |
*Distribution may be different for specific racial and ethnic groups.
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What is Apheresis?
Aphersis is the process of removing a specific component of the blood, such as platelets or plasma, and returning the remaining components (red blood cells and plasma or platelets respectively) to the donor. This process allows more of one particular part of the blood to be collected than could be separated from a unit of whole blood. For example, the amount of platelets collected in one apheresis donation is five to eight times more than in a regular blood donation. Platelet apheresis donations also allow donors to give a lot more often if desired. Platelet donors only need to wait 3 days before they are eligible to donate again, versus 56 days for whole blood donors.
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See also answers to common concerns about donating blood
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