Kudos!
You have become pregnant! It may sound silly but it is the time to become a bit
selfish and think about yourself and your baby for a few months. Most women
donate blood on a regular basis. There is no greater feeling that lending help
to a fellow being. But blood donation
pregnancy needs to be restricted for a certain point of time. The moment
you do become pregnant you have to think about yourself first. If you are
thinking on the lines of donating plasma early pregnancy
then hold on for a few days.
What
is the main reason why a pregnant woman cannot donate blood?
Medical
experts dissuade a pregnant woman from donating blood. You may feel that this
is a form of discrimination and unfair at the same time as the body is known to
produce extra amount of blood when you are pregnant. This blood is needed to
sustain the life of a baby inside the womb. If you do not pay heed to this
advice and go on to donate blood you are put your life along with the babies
under risk.
Till
date there is no clear reason on why a woman should not donate blood. One thing
is that anaemia does prove to be a major concern when you are pregnant. If you
donate blood during pregnancy it could worsen the condition. It is not all
about that as you are advised not to donate blood till you are breastfeeding
your baby. Till the moment you reach 9 months after pregnancy you are in a
waiting list period to donate blood. If still you are into breastfeeding your
baby, medical experts will ask you to wait till the moment you stop
breastfeeding your baby. The reason being that breastfeeding babies do depend
on breast milk for all their nutrient needs. If you donate blood the chances
are that some of these essential nutrients may be replenished. With the nine
month waiting period, it is more than sufficient to replenish the iron content
that is present in the blood.
In
countries like US mothers are asked not to donate blood six weeks after
delivery. Just you might have to think twice before you are going ahead. One of
the main reasons on why you can go on to provide blood during pregnancy is that
there is a definite need for blood transfusion during delivery. It means that
you are donating blood for your future only.
Till
date there is no apparent reason for a woman to stop donating blood during
pregnancy, the real question would be why risk it in the first place. When you
are pregnant it does not point to being handicap but it does mean that the job
is tough. You need to take care of yourself after all there is a baby growing
inside your womb. Already you are going to be poked with endless needles, so
why add one more to it.
