AGE: You must be 16 years of age with parental consent or 17 years of age or older to donate

WEIGHT: You must weigh at least 110 pounds HEALTH: You must be in generally good health and feeling well the day of the donation

FREQUENCY: Donors can give every 56 days (you can give on day 56)

Donors should eat 3 to 4 hours before donating.

COMMON MEDICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT DONOR ELIGIBILITY

ALLERGIES:
Unless you are currently experiencing symptoms, allergies are generally not a cause for deferral.

BLOOD TRANSFUSION:
To donate, you must wait 12 months after receiving blood, unless you received ONLY your own blood.

COLDS:
You may not donate if you have a cold, the flu, a sore throat or any other type of infection.

DENTAL WORK:
You may donate immediately after having a tooth pulled or 3 days after oral surgery as long as you are not taking any medication and there is no infection. There is no waiting period for fillings or cleanings.

DIABETES:
You may donate even if you are on insulin, provided the insulin treatment has been established for at least two weeks.

EPILEPSY:
You may donate if you have been seizure-free for three months with or without medication.

HEPATITIS:
If you have had hepatitis on or after age 11, you may not donate blood.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE:
A past history of high blood pressure will not defer you. If your blood pressure is acceptable on the day of donation, you may donate, even if you are taking medication for blood pressure control.

IMMUNIZATIONS:
You may donate if you have received a routine flu shot or pneumonia shot.

MEDICATIONS:
Most medications do not interfere with donating blood; however, you will need to check with the nurse at the site.

NURSING MOTHERS:
A nursing mother may donate.

PREGNANCY:
A woman may donate blood 6 weeks after a normal delivery, abortion, miscarriage or caesarian section, if released from a physician’s care and returned to normal activity.

TATTOOS:
You must wait 12 months to donate blood after being tattooed.

ACUPUNCTURE OR BODY PIERCING:
You must wait 12 months to donate blood after acupuncture or body piercing if the needle has been previously used or the donor is unsure if the needle was previously used.

ACCIDENTAL NEEDLESTICK:
You must wait 12 months to donate blood after an accidental needlestick or contact with someone else’s blood.