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Can Pregnant Women Donate Blood?

June 6, 2021

Woman holding plastic heart
Donating blood is a selfless act of kindness that so many people take part in to save the lives of others in need. And maybe as a mom-to-be, you’re feeling an urge to be nurturing and wondering if you can give blood. Unfortunately, pregnant women are not eligible to donate blood.

Why You Can’t Donate Blood if You Are Pregnant

Simply put, you and your developing baby need all of your blood and iron you can get. Even though the amount of blood in your body increases by about 50%1 while you are pregnant, making that additional blood requires greater amounts of iron and vitamins. Low iron levels can occur from blood loss – such as when you donate blood – and trigger a condition known as anemia.

Anemia is fairly common during pregnancy, and 52% of pregnant women develop iron deficiency anemia.2 If left untreated, the condition could lead to preterm birth, low birth weight, prolonged anemia and developmental delays, postpartum depression, and a longer recovery period baby’s birth.

Donating Blood in the Future

Moms can give blood at least six weeks after giving birth, according to the American Red Cross. However, if new moms are breastfeeding, the World Health Organization advises against donating blood and waiting nine months after the pregnancy has ended.3 If you are breastfeeding, your newborn will be relying on you for nutrients and vitamins found in breast milk. Donating blood could deplete them.

Other Ways to Give Back

While new moms patiently wait to be able to give the gift of blood once again, there are other ways you can give back to your communities.

  • Host a blood drive. Just because you can’t give blood doesn’t mean you can’t help others give. Working with the assistance of the Red Cross, you can find a location for a blood drive, recruit volunteers, and recruit and schedule donors.
  • Make a financial contribution. Donating money enables the Red Cross to maintain an ongoing blood supply and provide humanitarian support to people in need.
  • Donate your umbilical cord blood. After your baby is born, you can donate the cord blood to a cord blood bank. This special blood supply contains stem cells that can be used to treat people with life-threatening diseases, including leukemia, sickle cell disease, and immune system disorders. It can also save the life of someone in need of a blood transfusion. If this is something you would like to do, discuss the process with your doctor well in advance of your delivery date.

 

Prenate® Vitamin Family
This post is brought to you by the Prenate® Vitamin Family, a line of prescription prenatal supplements designed to enhance preconception, prenatal, and postpartum nutrition in women. Talk with your doctor about how taking a daily prescription prenatal or postnatal vitamin could help support a healthy pregnancy and postpartum wellness.

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IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.

WARNING: Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and International Normalized Ratio (INR). Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients taking anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired predisposition to bleeding.

This site and its contents are an information resource only, and are neither intended to nor should be used in replacement of your doctor or other prescribing professional’s medical guidance, recommendations or advice. Neither this site nor its information should be used or relied upon for any diagnostic, medical, treatment, nutritional or other purpose. All aspects of pregnancy, including whether pregnancy is right for you, and the nourishment and care of your child, should be made with your doctor and other appropriate medical professional, and in consideration of your and your child’s particular medical history. Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Avion”) makes no representation, warranty or other undertaking that this site or its information are appropriate for you or your child’s specific needs or issues, and further expressly disclaims all damages, losses, injuries or liability whatsoever incurred or alleged to have been incurred in consequence of your reliance on the information on this site. Avion does not endorse any test, procedure, treatment, remedy, therapy, cure, nutritional regimen, method or other activity or undertaking that you and/or your doctor or other medical professional may elect or recommend. By visiting this site you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understand the same. These terms and conditions, together with any information on this site, may be amended, restated or otherwise changed from time to time and at any time by Avion within the sole, absolute and uncontrolled exercise of its discretion. You acknowledge and agree that Avion has no duty or obligation to keep you informed of any amendments to, restatements of or other changes to these terms and conditions or this site, and that you are solely and exclusively responsible for apprising yourself of the same.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.

WARNING: Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and International Normalized Ratio (INR). Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients taking anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired predisposition to bleeding.

This site and its contents are an information resource only, and are neither intended to nor should be used in replacement of your doctor or other prescribing professional’s medical guidance, recommendations or advice. Neither this site nor its information should be used or relied upon for any diagnostic, medical, treatment, nutritional or other purpose. All aspects of pregnancy, including whether pregnancy is right for you, and the nourishment and care of your child, should be made with your doctor and other appropriate medical professional, and in consideration of your and your child’s particular medical history. Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Avion”) makes no representation, warranty or other undertaking that this site or its information are appropriate for you or your child’s specific needs or issues, and further expressly disclaims all damages, losses, injuries or liability whatsoever incurred or alleged to have been incurred in consequence of your reliance on the information on this site. Avion does not endorse any test, procedure, treatment, remedy, therapy, cure, nutritional regimen, method or other activity or undertaking that you and/or your doctor or other medical professional may elect or recommend. By visiting this site you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understand the same. These terms and conditions, together with any information on this site, may be amended, restated or otherwise changed from time to time and at any time by Avion within the sole, absolute and uncontrolled exercise of its discretion. You acknowledge and agree that Avion has no duty or obligation to keep you informed of any amendments to, restatements of or other changes to these terms and conditions or this site, and that you are solely and exclusively responsible for apprising yourself of the same.

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