Principle:
HMC Blood Donor Center is implementing a policy to limit or help limit iron deficiency in its blood donors (whole blood and/or apheresis). The reasons for this are:
- Development of iron deficiency in some donors
- Progression of iron deficiency that occurs with frequent blood donation
- Potential adverse effects of iron deficiency
Definition:
Donors high-risk for iron loss include:
- Females—all, regardless of age
- Males donating three or more times within a 12-month period
- Apheresis donors giving 5 sessions in an 8-week period
- Donors after one RBC apheresis dual-unit donation
- Males and females with borderline low hemoglobin levels:
- Males with hemoglobin <= 13.5 g/dl
- Females with hemoglobin <= 13.0 g/dl
- Donors with low ferritin level (below current lower limit of reference range)
Policy:
- Donors will be provided with information regarding iron-deficiency from donation.
- High risk donors (as defined above) will be offered a prescription for iron supplementation equivalent to 18 mg of elemental iron daily for 30 days.
- During the iron supplementation period, the donor will be deferred for donation.
- If a donor does not take the iron supplement, then he/she is limited to 2 donations/year.
- We will offer donors to test ferritin in the following categories:
- Apheresis donors after their fifth donation of plasma or platelets within 8 weeks
- Whole blood donors after three donations within a 12-month period
- Donors after dual-unit (2-unit) RBC apheresis donation
- All female donors otherwise meeting donor criteria before donation
- Donors with low ferritin levels will be deferred until ferritin levels are normal (based on reference range currently in effect)
References:
AABB Association Bulletin #17-02, Updated Strategies to Limit or Prevent Iron Deficiency in Blood Donors, 26/3/17
Updated 6/9/20