Giving plasma donations can benefit others who need help in emergencies while earning some extra money, but the risks of donating plasma should be considered as well. There are some precautions to take to lessen the health risks of donating plasma.
The process for donating plasma is similar to donating blood. The only difference is that the plasma is separated from the blood by a centrifuge, and then the blood is returned to the donor’s body. The risks of giving plasma are minimal, as long as certain steps are taken by both the donor and the staff who take the plasma donation.
The donor should be well rested, drink plenty of fluids, and have a healthy meal within two hours of going to the donation center. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires donors to weigh at least 110 pounds, and the donor may not give a donation more than once every two days or more than twice in seven days. Other requirements to avoid risks of donating plasma consist of a physical examination (including a urine analysis and visual inspection to prevent drug users from donating), questionnaires about the donor’s health history and lifestyle (including questions about HIV and other health issues), and a discussion about any tattoos or body piercing within the last twelve months.
Once the pre-examination process is completed, the donor will be asked to lie down on a donor table and relax. A pressure cuff will be placed on one arm and then inflated to present a viable vein for needle insertion. (In some cases, this is where the risks of giving plasma have come to light, due to improper insertion of the needle. However, these cases are very rare, and there are strict FDA guidelines for training and hiring donation technicians). The technician will then insert the needle and the donor’s blood will pass through sterile tubing and will begin to be collected in the centrifuge for separation of the plasma from the blood.
After the separation process, the blood will be returned to the donor through a filter that protects them from the health risks of donating plasma. The process of donating blood or plasma removes certain elements from the body, so a juice drink and/or a saline drink is provided to the donor afterward. This will avoid many risks of giving plasma.
There are no long-term health risks of donating plasma as long as required steps are taken by the donor and the donation center. There will be a small mark on the arm where the needle was inserted, but this will disappear quickly if liquid vitamin E or aloe vera is applied to the mark regularly. Certain other risks of donating plasma may include women who donate too often experiencing lowered levels of hemoglobin, an element of the blood. Some isolated instances of lowered levels of antibodies have been reported as well. In these cases, a doctor or other qualified medical professional should be consulted.
Overall, the health risks of donating plasma will be minimal. The FDA recommends taking time off from regular donations every few months to avoid further risks of giving plasma. Many donation centers will also not allow regular donors from giving blood more than twelve times per year to avoid risks of donating plasma. As long as all precautions are taken, there are no significant health risks of donating plasma. Donations of blood are given millions of times per year by millions of people without any reported risks of giving plasma.
