Donors should disclose to recipients if they have or will be receiving blood products. Please also consult a healthcare provider to discuss donating milk in this case.
The wait time for donating blood after having received a blood transfusion from another person in the United States is 3 months. You may not donate if you received a blood transfusion since 1980 in France, Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, or the Falkland Islands. This requirement is related to concerns about variant CJD, or ‘mad cow’ disease.1 2 3
Those who received Rh Immune Globulin (RhIG –brand names: Rhogam/WinRho)4 are restricted from blood donation for 6 weeks. However, there are no contraindications for breastfeeding one’s own babies after receiving Rhogam.5
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- American Red Cross – Eligibility Criteria: Alphabetical ↩︎
- Australian Red Cross – Eligibility Quizz ↩︎
- Canadian Blood Services – Am I eligible to donate blood? ↩︎
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center – Immunizations & Vaccinations ↩︎
- CDC – Vaccinations ↩︎
