If antibiotics are taken for the treatment of an existing infection, the condition must be fully resolved and the antibiotics completed 1 week before donating.
In cases where an antibiotic is being taken in the absence of existing infection, a donation may be collected for restricted use as long as the donor is well. If in doubt, call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff.
After minor injuries we ask donors to wait one month from recovery. After moderate or severe injuries the waiting time is 3 or 6 months, respectively. If you received a blood transfusion it will be necessary to wait 12 months.
If you have active or infected acne it will be necessary to wait until it has settled or been treated effectively. If treated with Isotretinoin (Roaccutane), Tretinoin (Retin A) or Adapalene (Differin), you will need to wait 4 weeks from your last dose. If you are being treated with antibiotics you will need to wait one week from completing treatment, but may be able to give plasma-only donations (call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff)
Yes, 12 hours of more after the treatment, as long as
only sterile single-use (disposable) equipment was used, there is no inflammation present at the site, and the treatment was provided by one of the following
- staff in a hospital, or a doctor, or
- an acupuncturist who provided you with a certificate confirming that sterile disposable needles were used, or
- an acupuncturist who is listed on an NZ Blood Service approved register of acupuncturists
If sterile single-use (disposable) equipment was not used, or you are unsure if it was used; or the treatment was not given by a person who is not listed above, you will not be able to donate for 6 months after the last acupuncture procedure.
If you have injected drugs that were not prescribed by a doctor or inhaled (snorted) cocaine or other drugs you cannot give blood now or at any time in the future.
Any person who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol cannot donate blood because the drug may affect ability to understand and answer the donor questionnaire and declaration, and to tolerate 470mL blood withdrawal.
If you have any other question concerning drugs, please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff.
Age - How does age affect my ability to donate?
Whole blood donors
New donors can start donating blood from their 16th birthday up to their 60th birthday. If you are between your 60th and 71st birthdays, our medical officers will check your health before you can start.
NZ Blood Service asks people aged 16-17 to check with your parent/guardian before starting to donate blood.
Existing whole blood donors can continue donating blood up to their 71st birthday.
If you wish to continue donating blood after your 71st birthday, your health will be assessed annually by an NZBS Medical Officer.
Whole blood donors are required to retire when they turn 76.
Apheresis donors
Apheresis is a special collection procedure in which blood is processed in a cell separator machine, some components are separated as the donation and others are returned to the donor. The donors blood only comes into contact with sterile single use disposable materials. In NZ apheresis involves collecting either plasma (the liquid part of blood) or platelets plus some plasma.
Provided they meet apheresis donor selection criteria and have given at least one whole blood donation in the last two years, existing whole blood donors are eligible to start donating by apheresis from their 18th to their 61st birthday.
Existing apheresis donors can continue to donate by apheresis up to their 66th birthday.
The NZ Blood Service does not take blood from anyone under the influence of alcohol because intoxication can affect ability to understand and answer the donor questionnaire and declaration, and to tolerate 470mL blood withdrawal.
If you have mild hay fever or other mild allergy to a food or environmental substance, you may donate. Taking a medicine to control symptoms will not affect your ability to donate.
If you have moderate symptoms from an acute allergic reaction at present, you will need to wait until symptoms have settled and a further deferral of between one week - one month may be necessary. Please call you your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and discuss with our Donor Staff.
A moderately severe allergic reaction in the past will require you to wait for one year from the last event. After a moderate allergic reaction to a medicine you will need to wait for one year before donating.
After a severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis you will not be able to donate for a minimum of ten years.
If the anaemia has been treated effectively and the finger prick test carried out before giving blood shows that your haemoglobin is in the acceptable range, you will be able to donate.
If you are having medical investigations for anaemia or receiving treatment for anaemia, it will be necessary to wait until both investigations and treatment are completed, and possibly for a further six month period.
Presence of persistent anaemia and some specific types of anaemia, such as pernicious anaemia, may results in permanent deferral from giving blood.
Although your previous symptoms which required an angioplasty may have settled, it is not possible for you to give blood in the future as you may not be able to tolerate 470mL blood withdrawal.
If antibiotics are taken for the treatment of an existing infection, the condition must be fully resolved and the antibiotics completed 1 week before donating.
In cases where an antibiotic is being taken in the absence of existing infection, a donation may be collected for restricted use as long as the donor is well. If in doubt, call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff.
Taking an antidepressant is generally not a cause for deferral as long as you are physically well. However, if you are taking a high dose we may need to check your eligibility to donate. Please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) to speak to our Donor Staff.
If you have had abnormal heart beats, the Blood Service Medical Officer will review your condition.
If your condition requires ongoing treatment it will not be possible for you to give blood donations.
Osteoarthritis that is under good control will not affect your ability to give blood donations. If symptoms are severe you may be asked to wait for three months.
If your diagnosis is Rheumatoid Arthritis you will not be able to give blood donations.
If you have mild asthma and require only occasional use of inhalers, or you are on a regular preventative treatment programme with inhalers and do not have active symptoms at the time, you can donate.
If you have active symptoms you will need to wait one month before donating.
If you have severe asthma it will not be possible for you to donate blood.
Our Medical Officer will review your condition. Most bleeding disorders will result in permanent deferral from giving blood donations.
Hepatitis B and C, Syphillis, HIV (AIDS) on all donations
Medicines for the control of blood pressure are acceptable, providing your blood pressure is adequately controlled and stable, and you have not had low blood pressure when standing.
If you are taking a beta blocker medicine you will not be able to give a donation until you have been taking the medicine for 3 months without any problems, your pulse is over 60/minute and your blood pressure is in the range 100-160/(70 or higher). We will check these before you donate.
If you have had a blood transfusion, the waiting period before you can give blood is 12 months. If you received only autologous blood (that is, you donated prior to a procedure and were transfused with your only own blood), then you are able to continue donating with a letter from your doctor verifying that the only blood transfused was your own blood.
If you had a blood transfusion in the UK, Ireland or France then you are permanently deferred from donating
It varies little according to weight and sex, but for a 70kg person it is about 5 litres, or 10 pints (70mL per kilo body weight).
If you have just had your ears or any other part of your body pierced and this was performed with clean, single use (disposable) equipment by a registered health professional (eg a Pharmacist, GP, Dentist, etc) and any inflammation has settled completely, you can donate blood now. If the piercing was performed by any other person you will need to wait for 6 months.
It is not advisable to donate blood while breast-feeding. Following childbirth, the deferral period is at least 9 months (as for pregnancy) and until 3 months after your baby is significantly weaned (i.e. getting most of his/her nutrition from solids or bottle feeding).
A person who has had an adequately treated skin cancer (squamous cell cancer or basal cell cancer) and has no recurrence of the cancer, can donate. A melanoma or other invasive cancer will result in permanent exclusion from donating.
A person who has had cervical cancer-in-situ may give blood and apheresis donations.
Please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and ask to speak to our Donor Staff if you have any queries about eligibility.
You can donate 4 weeks after a complete and full recovery.
When all your spots are completely clean and dry, the NZ Blood Service may be able to use your plasma to provide valuable antibodies to treat people at risk of infection from chicken pox. If you live near one of our main Donor Centres, please tell us about your chicken pox infection as soon as possible as we may wish to arrange special tests to check your chicken pox antibody level. Please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff.
At least 9 months after the birth, but if you are still breast-feeding at this time, you will need to wait until 3 months after your baby is significantly weaned. See also breast-feeding.
You must be fully recovered from the surgery. You will need to wait a minimum of three months after a laparoscopic procedure or six months after an open surgery procedure.
You will need to wait for 4 weeks from complete recovery and after completing antibiotic treatment.
Cholesterol-lowering medication prescribed to prevent coronary artery disease does not affect your eligibility to donate. However, people who have angina or other symptoms of existing coronary artery disease must not donate blood for personal safety reasons.
People with a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are permanently deferred from donating blood in New Zealand.
If your condition is treated by diet alone and you are well, you may give blood donations. If you require other medical treatment this will be discussed with our Medical Officer but is likely to lead to permanent deferral from giving blood.
Yes, provided you are not currently suffering an episode with sores. Any sores from a previous episode must be clean and dry.
For your safety and for the safety of the people who receive your blood, you should not donate until 1 week after you are fully recovered and feeling fit and well.
We will need to discuss the circumstances of the accident with you. In general, if you are fully recovered, have been discharged from medical follow up and are off all medicines, you will be able to give blood donations. If you have not fully recovered, we recommend waiting three months from full recovery.
Condoms reduce the risk, but there is always a very
small risk, if the condom breaks or is not used properly,
of transmission.
The relative risk of HIV transmission is much higher
with a transfusion of infected blood than with sexual
intercourse with an infected partner.
This justifies
a more stringent approach to risk reduction for
transfusion.
If the conjunctivitis is due to an allergy see Allergy above.
If conjunctivitis is due to infection. You will need to wait for one week after the condition is fully settled and you are off antibiotics.
Yes. Taking birth control pills (oral contraceptives) has no effect on your ability to donate blood.
After receiving a corneal transplant it is not possible to give blood donations. This requirement exists as rare cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease have occurred overseas after corneal grafting.
The reason for this restriction is that the risk of getting hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections is much higher in the prison populations compared to the general community.
It will not be possible for you to give blood donations if you have Crohns Disease or have had this condition diagnosed in the past. The cause of this condition is not yet certain and giving blood may adversely affect your health.
We will ask you to wait for one week from full recovery and after your last dose of antibiotic treatment.
After cytomegalovirus infection we will ask you to wait for six months from full recovery before donating blood. If you have any other underlying health problem which caused more severe cytomegalovirus infection than usual, this may affect whether or not you can give blood donations again.
If the DVT occurred as an isolated episode we will ask you to wait for three months until completely recovered and off all anticoagulant treatment.
If you have had repeat episodes of DVT, it will not be possible for you to give blood.
You can donate blood 4 weeks after recovery from dengue fever.
After treatments such as cleaning, fillings and braces, we can collect a donation on the next day.
For uncomplicated extractions it will be necessary to put off donating for 1 week and after complex surgery for 1 month.
Please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff about limitations that apply for other treatments.
Many people with mild or stable depression on treatment will be able to give blood donations. If the depression is more severe, we will ask you to wait for six months before donating.
If you are taking Lithium or are moderately or severely unwell with depression we will not be able to collect blood donations. Depression symptoms that are under good control with other medication will not prevent you donating blood.
We will ask about your medical history to obtain more information about your condition. If the area affected is small and is being treated with only an ointment or a cream, and the venepuncture site at the elbow is not affected, you will be able to give blood. Otherwise we may ask you to wait until the condition is settled.
If you have no complications from your diabetes such as eye, blood vessel related or kidney problems and your diabetes is well controlled through diet or oral medication, you will be able to donate.
If you require insulin to control your diabetes you will not be able to donate.
If you have had one of the following infections you will not be able to donate whole blood for 12 weeks from full recovery: Yersinia, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella. However, we may be able to use plasma (the liquid in blood) but not the red cells from your whole blood donation, during the 12 week period.
If the cause of the diarrhoea has not been identified and it lasted for
less than 24 hours, you will be able to donate after 1 week if you remain in good health through that period,
24 hours or longer, you will be able to donate after 4 weeks if you remain in good health through that period.
Contacts: If someone in your household or a close social contact has had diarrhoea -
A donation can be used to provide plasma one week after your last contact with any person who has diarrhoea. We will not be able to use the red cells from your donation for 4 weeks,
If you have any queries about your symptoms and eligibility please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff.
Donors must be able to climb onto the donation beds and be able to straighten out the elbow fully so that a blood donation can be collected. We will also need to discuss the underlying cause of your disability as this may affect your ability to donate if due to some medical conditions.
Please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff.
If you are well and have had no recent symptoms of the condition you may donate. If you have symptoms it will be necessary to wait for a minimum of one month after the symptoms have settled before donating.
This will depend on what drug was taken and how and when it was taken. If you have ever used intravenous (IV) drugs not prescribed by a registered medical practitioner, even once, you will not be able to give a blood donation, at any time. NZ Blood Service values the privacy of donors. All interviews are conducted in private and donor confidentiality is always maintained.
If you have inhaled (snorted) drugs through a straw you will not be able to give a blood donation, at any time.
Any person who is intoxicated with a drug or alcohol will not be able to donate as intoxication can affect the ability to understand and answer the donor questionnaire and declaration, and to tolerate 470mL blood withdrawal.
Please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff if more information is needed.
If you have just had your ears or any other part of your body pierced and this was performed with clean, single use (disposable) equipment by a registered health professional (eg a Pharmacist, GP, Dentist, etc) and any inflammation has settled completely, you can donate blood now. If the piercing was performed by any other person you will need to wait for 6 months.
If the affected area is small and the venepuncture site at the front of the elbow is not affected and only an ointment or cream treatment is used, you will be able to donate. We will need to discuss your medical condition to confirm the diagnosis.
If you have severe eczema our Medical Officer will need to review your condition.
If the endometriosis has settled and you have no symptoms you may donate. This applies if you are on hormone replacement treatment to control endometriosis.
If you have been treated with Danazol we will ask you to wait for three months before donating. Our Medical Officer will also review your condition.
If you have had no fits for five years, even if on medication, you may be able to donate. Staff will need to discuss your condition with you. If you have had fits in the past five years you will not be able to donate.
If you are taking a beta blocker medicine to treat glaucoma and have been taking this treatment for three months without any adverse symptoms, and your blood pressure is satisfactory, you will be able to donate. Our staff will need to review your condition.
If you are receiving antibiotics for an infection we will ask you to wait until seven days after the infection has settled and the antibiotic treatment completed.
If you are using other medicine eye drops, including for allergy, you may donate.
Because the term fibromyalgia describes a variety of conditions you should call your local Donor Centre or 0800 Give Blood (0800 448 325 663) and ask to speak to our Staff to discuss your condition.
If you have had one of the following infections you will not be able to donate whole blood for 12 weeks from full recovery: Yersinia, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella. However, we may be able to use plasma (the liquid in blood) but not the red cells from your whole blood donation, during the 12 week period.
If the cause of the diarrhoea has not been identified and it lasted for
less than 24 hours, you will be able to donate after 1 week if you remain in good health through that period,
24 hours or longer, you will be able to donate after 4 weeks if you remain in good health through that period.
Contacts: If someone in your household or a close social contact has had diarrhoea -
A donation can be used to provide plasma one week after your last contact with any person who has diarrhoea. We will not be able to use the red cells from your donation for 4 weeks,
If you have any queries about your symptoms and eligibility please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff.
If the fracture was minor we will ask you to wait one month before donating. If you had a moderate or severe fracture involving limb or other bones, we will ask you to wait for 3-6 months depending on the nature of the injury. If you have been discharged from follow up you will usually be able to donate. Please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 Give Blood (0800 448 325 663) for further information.
If you received a blood transfusion you will need to wait for twelve months.
If the infection is being treated with a topical ointment or cream and there is no local inflammation you will be able to donate. If you are taking tablets for treatment we will ask you to wait until seven days after completing the treatment.
Gall bladder see cholecystitis / cholecystectomy
We will ask you to wait 4 weeks from full recovery from this infection as a clearance of the virus is known to be delayed.
If you have had had contact with a person with rubella and have had rubella previously there is no waiting period before giving blood. If you have had contact with rubella but have not had previously had this infection, we will ask you to wait 4 weeks until the infection incubation period has elapsed.
If you have had rubella vaccination you must wait 8 weeks from the date of vaccination before donating to ensure the vaccine virus has been fully cleared.
Gilberts disease is a minor variation of normal that results in an increased level of bilirubin in blood. This condition does not affect giving blood donations.
Glandular fever is caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). You will not be able to donate for 6 months after you have recovered from glandular fever.
If you are taking a beta blocker medicine to treat glaucoma and have been taking this treatment for three months without any adverse symptoms, and your blood pressure is satisfactory, you will be able to donate. Our staff will need to review your condition.
Gonorrhoea see Sexually Transmitted Infection
If you are mildly affected and/or are on tablets for treatment, you may donate.
If you have an acute attack of gout or acute attacks are frequent, we will ask you to wait 3 months before donating.
Our Medical Officer will need to review your condition. You may be able to donate and if so, will be able to give frequent donations at 1-4 week intervals to bring your iron overload under control.
Please discuss with our Medical Officer. You should obtain a referral note from your General Practitioner that provides information about the diagnosis, liver function tests and your current iron status, to assist the review.
If your piles / haemorrhoids are not causing symptoms or produce symptoms infrequently, you may donate. If regular or severe bleeding is present, we ask you to wait for one month after the last episode.
If your hay fever symptoms are mild, with or without regular treatment, you may donate. If you have moderate or severe symptoms we will ask you to wait until one month after the symptoms have settled or been brought under control.
If you are involved with any of the activities listed above, we will ask you to not donate if on duty or within one day of going on duty, or taking part in the activity. In the case of commercial pilots we recommend 7 days before going on duty.
To protect your health and safety, the NZ Blood Service is unable to accept you as a blood donor now, or in the future.
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. It can be caused by infection (such as the viruses hepatitis A, B or C), or by an unknown cause. You cannot donate until 12 months after full recovery.
Hepatitis my friend or family member has had hepatitis. Can I donate?
This will depend on the type of hepatitis. Please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff if you need more information.
Hepatitis - my partner has had hepatitis. Can I donate?
You can donate 12 months after your last sexual contact with a person who has hepatitis, or 12 months after the person has fully recovered.
Yes, provided you are not currently suffering an episode with sores. Any recent sores must be clean and dry.
You may donate between episodes.
Deferrals for sexual behaviour are based on what you do or have done and not on sexual orientation.
You must not give blood for
FIVE YEARS:
Following oral or anal sex with or without a condom
with another man (if you are male).
If you are taking hormone replacement therapy for menopausal symptoms you may donate.
If you are taking hormone replacement therapy for any other reason you will need to discuss the condition with our Staff. Please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff if you need more information.
It takes just 24 - 28 hours to replace the volume, but approximately 6 weeks to replace the red blood cells.
The red cells can be kept chilled just for 35 days; plasma can be stored for up to 2 years if frozen; platelets last just 5 days and must be 'rocked' constantly to keep them alive.
A single unit of blood is about 470mls, that's about 8% of your total blood. The body manufactures blood constantly and will soon replace the donated blood without any ill effects.
Every week, we need to collect approx 3,000 whole blood donations to meet the needs of hospital patients and users of blood products throughout New Zealand. That's around 147,000 whole blood units each year.
Donors may donate whole blood up to four times a year with a gap of at least 12 weeks in between donations.
Apheresis donors may donate plasma or platelets every two weeks to a maximum of 23 times per year.
Human T Cell Lymphotrophic Virusa.
This virus is rare in NZ but more common in some overseas countries. It can infect some white blood cells and other tissues. The virus sometimes causes a leukaemia or serious deterioration of the spinal cord. A test for this virus infection is carried out on new donors as a precautionary step.
Hypoglycaemia means low blood sugar. There are many reasons for low blood sugar and an important one is from treatment of diabetes. If you have symptoms of hypoglycaemia that is not related to diabetes or other serious illness, you can donate provided that you have eaten properly within 2 hours prior to donating. As with all donors, you should also drink plenty of fluids both before and after donation.
You will need to discuss the infection with our Staff. For most infections acquired in the community we will ask you to wait until 7 days after full recovery and after stopping antibiotic treatment, if used.
In the case of some infections we will ask you to wait for longer, eg. rubella 4 weeks, and after cytomegalovirus (CMV) or glandular fever (EBV), we will ask you to wait for 6 months.
Chronic virus infections such as chronic hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV will prevent you from giving blood. If in doubt, please discuss with our Staff.
If you are well at present and have had no symptoms in the past month you may donate.
Our Staff will discuss whether or not you may have ulcerative colitis or other inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohns Disease.
No, people with a history of leukaemia or lymphoma are permanently unable to donate blood.
We will ask you wait for one month after liposuction and full recovery, before donating.
If you lived in the UK, France or the Republic of Ireland for a total of six months or more between 1980 and 1996 then unfortunately you will be permanently deferred from donating blood in New Zealand.
Our current guidelines state that as long as your doctor has excluded any important ongoing liver disease we can accept you back as a blood donor. Please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and ask to speak to our Staff if you need more information.
Lyme disease is caused by bites of certain species of ticks. You are eligible to donate 6 months after you have recovered fully and are certified fit by your doctor.
Most prescribed medicines do not defer someone from donating, however, the underlying condition for which the medicine has been prescribed may affect eligibility to donate. Some medicines that must not be given to pregnant women and new-born babies, for example Roaccutane (for the treatment of acne) and Neotigason (for the treatment of psoriasis) and Acetretin (for acne or psoriasis). If you are taking any of these medications you will be deferred whilst taking the medication and for a certain time afterwards to ensure it does not remain in your blood. Please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325) if you have any queries about medications.
If any medicine you are taking is not listed here, please check under the name of the condition being treated. If still uncertain please discuss with Donor Staff.
Menstruation does not affect the ability of most women to donate.
After having had a miscarriage or termination of pregnancy, we will ask you to wait for a period related to the duration of the pregnancy. The interval is determined from the likely iron loss associated with the pregnancy.
Up to 12 weeks of pregnancy wait 3 months
Between 12-24 weeks wait 6 months.
Occurring after 24 weeks wait 9 months
No. To protect your health and safety, and because the nature of this condition is still uncertain, NZ Blood Service is unable to accept you as a blood donor.
Occupation risk see Hazardous Occupation
If you have been diagnosed as having osteoporosis you will only be eligible to donate whole blood or plasma by apheresis. Currently there are unresolved concerns surrounding the collection of platelets by apheresis and the effect on bone density of people with osteoporosis. As a precautionary measure (to ensure your health), you will be unable to donate platelets by apheresis. If you have more queries, please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff.
The fingerprick, during the preliminary interview process is usually the only discomfort encountered by a blood donor.
Most donors don't mind the slight discomfort - after all it saves lives.
If symptoms are minimal you will be able to donate. If symptoms are more than minimal you will not be able to give blood donations. This requirement exists because of the stiffness and mobility problems that develop with Parkinsons Disease and affect collection of blood donations or may create a risk after giving blood.
No. The NZ Blood Service receives only voluntary donations of blood. This is in keeping with international World Health Organisation and Red Cross policy that encourages the concept of voluntary non-remunerated blood donation to support a safe blood supply.
If you have just had your ears or any other part of your body pierced and this was performed with clean, single use (disposable) equipment by a registered health professional (eg a Pharmacist, GP, Dentist, etc) and any inflammation has settled completely, you can donate blood now. If the piercing was performed by any other person you will need to wait for 6 months.
If your piles / haemorrhoids are not causing symptoms or produce symptoms infrequently, you may donate. If regular or severe bleeding is present, we ask you to wait for one month after the last episode.
Plasma is the yellow liquid portion of blood, containing mainly water and proteins. Plasma is used to replace the proteins if there is a deficiency. Some of these proteins make our blood cot, some protect us from infection. Proteins also help to keep the fluid in our blood vessels.
Platelets help to stop bleeding by plugging the wound and are used to treat patients with low platelets and bleeding.
If you are fully recovered and no underlying medical or related condition caused the pneumonia, we will ask you to wait until 3 months after full recovery and completion of antibiotic treatment.
If you have any other underlying medical condition, this will need to be discussed with our Medical Officer.
Back to question
If the pneumothorax was spontaneous and not due to emphysema, you will be able to donate after full recovery. If you had a traumatic pneumothorax and do not have emphysema, you will be able to donate 3 months after the injury and complete recovery.
If you have a pneumothorax and emphysema it will not be possible for to give blood donations again.
Polycythaemia (rubra) vera is a disease of the bone marrow causing over-production of red blood cells. One of the treatments for this condition is regular removal of blood (venesection) and your doctor may have even referred you to the NZ Blood Service for venesection. Due to the underlying condition affecting your bone marrow, your donation cannot be used for transfusion.
Blood donations are not collected from a pregnant woman to avoid any stresses on the mother's or baby's circulation, or on the mothers iron levels. After childbirth a woman should wait for a further 9 months to allow adequate time for iron stores to be built up. This is extended if a woman is breastfeeding. See also breast-feeding.
If the psoriasis is mild and you are not taking any tablet treatment, and the condition does not affect the front of the elbow at the site used to insert the blood collection needle, you will be able to give blood. If you have more severe or generalised psoriasis or are taking oral medicines to treat the condition, we will ask you to wait for one month after treatment is completed and symptoms reduced to a mild level. In the case of some medicines, a longer waiting period may be required see Medicines.
Red cells contain haemoglobin that carries oxygen through the body. They are transfused to patients who are very anaemic or have lost a large amount of blood following an accident or during surgery.
If your diagnosis is Rheumatoid Arthritis and it is being treated only with medicines called Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent you will be able to give blood donations. If you are being treated with steroids and other medicines you will not be able to give blood donations again.
We will ask you to wait 4 weeks from full recovery from this infection as a clearance of the virus is known to be delayed.
If you have had had contact with a person with rubella and have had rubella previously there is no waiting period before giving blood. If you have had contact with rubella but have not had previously had this infection, we will ask you to wait 4 weeks until the infection incubation period has elapsed.
If you have had rubella vaccination you must wait 8 weeks from the date of vaccination before donating to ensure the vaccine virus has been fully cleared.
Each needle used during the blood donation process is sterile and used only once and is disposed of in a specially marked biohazard container immediately following the donation. No one has ever contracted HIV or any infectious disease from donating blood.
If you have any reason to believe you may have acquired an infection through unprotected sex, you should not donate. NZ Blood Service relies on donors giving accurate information about their health and other important issues that affect the safety of blood.
You must NEVER give blood if:
You, or any of your current (or past) sexual partners
have (had) AIDS or a positive test for HIV.
You carry the Hepatitis B or C virus.
You have ever injected yourself, even once, with
drugs not prescribed by a Doctor.
You have haemophilia or a related clotting disorder
and have received treatment with plasma derived
clotting factor concentrates at any time.
You think you need an HIV or Hepatitis test.
You must not give blood for
FIVE YEARS:
Following oral or anal sex with or without a condom
with another man (if you are male).
After engaging in sex work (prostitution) or accepting
payment in exchange for sex in any country other
than New Zealand.
After leaving a country in which you have lived and
which is considered to be high risk of HIV infection
(includes sub Saharan Africa and parts of Asia. Full
list available at blood collection sessions and at
www.nzblood.co.nz).
You must not give blood for
ONE YEAR:
Following sex with anyone:
- whom you know carries the Hepatitis B or C virus.
- who is a sex worker (prostitute).
- who has ever injected themselves with
drugs not prescribed by a Doctor.
- who lives in or comes from a country considered
high risk for HIV infection.
- who has haemophilia or a related blood clotting
disorder and received treatment with plasma
derived clotting factor concentrates at any time.
After engaging in sex work (prostitution) or accepting
payment in exchange for sex in New Zealand.
If you are a woman, after engaging in sex with a man
who has had oral or anal sex with another man
If multiple episodes of sexually transmitted infections have occurred a person may not be able to give blood donations.
After an episode of gonorrhoea, chlamydia, non specific urethritis, syphilis, we will ask you to wait for 4 weeks after full recovery and completing antibiotic treatment.
For other infections please discuss with Staff.
If uncertain, please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff to discuss your eligibility.
You will be able to donate when you are feeling well and the rash is completely clean and dry. NZ Blood Service may also be able to use your plasma to provide valuable antibodies to protect people at risk of chicken pox. If you live near one of our main Donor Centres, please tell us about your chicken pox infection as soon as possible as we may wish to arrange special tests to check your chicken pox antibody level. Please call your local Donor Centre.
If your spleen was removed due to trauma or physical injury you are eligible to donate 6 months after full recovery. If you received a blood transfusion as well, you will not be eligible to donate for 12 months after the transfusion.
If however, your spleen was removed to treat a chronic illness such as immune thrombocytopaenic purpura (ITP) or lymphoma, you are not eligible to donate blood.
After a stroke or TIA it will not be possible for you to give blood again, even if you have recovered fully. This requirement is to protect your own health as you may not be able to tolerate giving a 470mL blood donation.
If you have surgery planned within 84 days, you may be deferred if there is a risk of significant blood loss during the surgery. Please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and ask to speak to our Staff to discuss your eligibility.
How long after surgery will I have to wait before I donate?
The length of time to wait before donating blood after surgery depends on a number of factors. They include the condition for which you had surgery, the type of surgery and the recovery period. For most surgery this is 3-6 months but if you received a blood transfusion, the waiting period is 12 months.
If you need more information, please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and ask to speak to our Staff to discuss your eligibility.
You are not eligible to donate if you have SLE because it affects your fitness to tolerate regular blood donation. In addition, concerns might exist for the health of people who received your donations.
You cannot donate for 6 months after receiving a tattoo. This also applies to cosmetic tattooing.
Termination of pregnancy see Miscarriage
See Deep Vein Thrombosis
Other thrombosis please call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff.
We suggest you allow about an hour for your visit to the NZ Blood Service. Collecting a standard whole blood collection takes only 5-10 minutes, but it also takes time to fill out the questionnaire, to be interviewed privately and to rest and have refreshment afterwards.
The rest period after each donation is an important part of the process. Your body is adjusting to a reduced blood volume and will be slowly moving fluid from your tissues back into your blood. Having a drink is also an important part of replacing the volume of blood you have donated.
For your safety it is strongly recommended that you rest for 15 minutes after the blood donation to minimise the risk of fainting.
A plasma donation takes longer than a whole blood donation - about 45 minutes for the collection period. The same comments apply as for whole blood donation.
If the extraction was uncomplicated we will ask you to wait 7 days. If the extraction involved multiple teeth or resulted in complications, we will ask you to wait 4 weeks after full recovery.
We ask you to wait for 6 months from full recovery and completing antibiotic treatment.
We ask you to wait until a minimum of 3 months after oral treatment for gastric or duodenal ulcers, and all symptoms have settled.
If you have had a partial gastrectomy for surgery, we ask you to wait for 6 months before donating.
If you have had a total gastrectomy you will not be able to donate, as your ability to absorb iron is permanently reduced.
You will not be able to donate blood if you have ulcerative colitis.
See also Irritable bowel.
It depends on the type of vaccine. Those made from 'killed / inactivated / recombinant' material generally do not affect eligibility. These include diphtheria, influenza (flu), hepatitis A, meningococcus, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumococcus, Q fever, tetanus, human papillomavirus (Gardasil) and others.
The exception is hepatitis B. If you have received this vaccine, you should not donate for a week as it may interfere with our testing.
Vaccines made from 'live / attenuated' material restrict our use of your donation. We can use the plasma from you donation but are not able to use red cells from a whole blood donation during the 4 week period after vaccination. These include BCG (tuberculosis), measles, mumps, Polio - Sabin oral polio vaccine, and varicella (chicken pox); but 8 weeks after rubella (German measles) vaccine and combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
If you are unsure about your eligibility to donate after vaccination, please call your local Donor Centre or call 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and ask to speak to our Donor Staff.
You should wait one week after receiving this vaccine to donate. Hepatitis A is a quite different vaccine and it is possible to give blood immediately providing you are well and any inflammation at the injection site has settled.
We ask you to wait for 4 weeks after injection treatment and until fully recovered.
We ask you to wait for 2 weeks until the wound is healed and you are fully recovered.
Yes, as long as there is no broken skin or localised infection.
The minimum weight is 50kg for whole blood donation. We will not normally accept new apheresis donors who weigh less than 60kg, unless the donor has a special antibody that is needed to make a special treatment product.
The amount of blood your body contains is proportional to your weight: heavier people have a larger volume of blood. If a standard donation of 470mL plus test samples is too large a proportion of your blood volume, you will be unable to donate.
These criteria are in place to protect your health as a donor. If your weight becomes acceptable for blood donation at any time you can be accepted as a blood donor.
Is there any upper weight limit for blood donors?
Yes, this is related to the maximum safe capacity of our donor chairs which may vary from site to site. To find out specific information about your local collection centre, call your local Donor Centre or 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325 663) and speak to our Donor Staff.
Condoms reduce the risk, but there is always a very
small risk, if the condom breaks or is not used properly,
of transmission.
The relative risk of HIV transmission is much higher
with a transfusion of infected blood than with sexual
intercourse with an infected partner. This justifies
a more stringent approach to risk reduction for
transfusion.
Approximately 45% is red cells and 55% is plasma, a very small proportion is platelets. The blood components prepared from each donation contain approximately:
-Red cells: red cells with a little plasma 290mL
-Platelet concentrates: platelets in approx 50mL plasma
-Plasma: the remaining plasma 290mL
Less than 4% of New Zealanders donate each year, yet over 42,000 of us need blood each year. This means that fewer than 4% of the people in our communities are supporting 100% of our blood needs.
Anyone in need, anywhere in the country. People such as accident victims, patients undergoing surgery, recipients of organ and bone marrow transplants and those undergoing treatment for leukaemia. You can be sure that no matter who receives it, he or she will be very grateful.
Back at the laboratory the blood is filtered to remove the white blood cells. It is then spun in a centrifuge and separated to make different blood components. These are red cells, plasma and platelets. In addition, the filter removes the white cells. The four bags are needed at different stages of these processing steps.
