One third of whole-blood donors have an adverse event related to the donation and includes: bruising, hematoma, pain, fatigue, and vasovagal reaction.
Sensory changes in the hand or forearm occurs in approximately 1% of blood donors and 1 in 22,000 seek medical care for nerve damage.
In approximately 1 of 9000 whole-blood collections an accidental arterial puncture occurs.
Hospitalization occurs in 1 of 200,000 whole-blood donors as a result of an adverse event.
Screened for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus (HTLV).
Directed donor studies may be riskier than random banked blood because most of these type donors are first-time donors.
It is estimated 25-35% of blood donors become iron deficient from regular blood donation.
In 2011, 9.2 million people donated 15.7 million units of red blood cells and 6.7% of these donors were deferred for not having minimal hemoglobin levels.
Low hemoglobin is the single largest category of blood donor deferral and is more prevalent in females.
Blood donors are allowed to donate 500 mL of whole blood every eight weeks.
Blood donation typically takes 8–10% of the donor’s blood volume.
For women who donate two or more times a year and men three or more times a year have a risk for iron deficiency and hemoglobin deferral of at least twice that of donors who donate two times per year or less frequently.
Among blood donors with normal hemoglobin levels, low dose iron supplementation reduces time to recovery of the post donation decrease in hemoglobin concentration to 80% (Kiss JE et al).