New Requirement for Height and Weight
This selection criteria for whole blood donation now include a requirement that all high school students also meet certain height and weight cutoffs. This precaution is being taken because young donors who have a blood volume less than 3500 mL (which is determined from height and weight for male and female donors) are more likely to have an adverse reaction following blood donation than donors who have a larger total blood volume.
In other words, the new requirement is an effort to ensure that blood donors only have a relatively small amount (<15%) of their total circulation blood volume removed with the whole blood donation.
The table below will be used to select high school students, with a total blood volume of 3500 mL or more, based on self-reported height and weight:
Male donors must weigh 110 pounds or more, depending on their height according to the following chart:
If you are | 4’ 10” | 4’ 11” | 5’ or taller |_________________________________________
You must weigh at least | 120 | 115 | 110 |
Female donors must weigh 110 lbs. or more, depending on their height according to the following chart:
If you are | 4’ 10” | 4’ 11”| 5’ | 5’1” | 5’ 2” | 5’ 3” | 5’ 4” | 5’ 5” | 5’6” or taller___________
You must weigh at least | | 146 | 141 | 138 | 133 | 129 | 124 | 118 | 115 | 110
Even if a donor has successfully donated in the past, he or she will not be allowed to donate if they do not meet these new criteria. We recognize that this precaution may disappoint some donors who have already given blood in the recent past, but we believe that these measures are necessary. We encourage these individuals to donate again when they meet these criteria.
Please call the Surry County Red Cross at: 786-4183 if you have any questions. |
