Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I read the posts about pregnancy and then I read the posts about donating blood, but didn't see anything about specifically about donating blood while pregnant... does anyone know if it's safe/recommended or not?

I'm not pregnant, just curious for future reference!

flag	asked Sep 5 2011 at 19:07 Lauren 341●1●8

American Red Cross does not allow it. – Sara Sep 6 2011 at 2:53

coffeeandcream · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-05 19:24:23Z UTC

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It is not safe and I can not imagine that it would be allowed. During pregnancy the mothers blood volume increses 40-50% (no kidding) but the red cell mass only by 20-30%. For this you need a massive amount of iron and many women become anemic at some point during pregnancy. It is postulated that this is actually good for the birth to some extent but if you get too anemic it increases the risk of dying in childbirth. You would need to lose less blood volume to compromise sufficient oxygen transport to the brain and other organs if you are anemic than if you are not and thus can tolerate less bleeding in childbirth, which is risky :)

answered Sep 5 2011 at 19:24

coffeeandcream
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Thanks! Kind of related - I've heard some people recommend that pregnant women take a multi with iron and some people don't recommend that. Any thoughts either way? – Lauren Sep 5 2011 at 21:30

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I don´t think it would be nessecary unless there is evidence of anemia. Supplemental iron can be very toxic and children overdosing on iron pills is the number one cause of death from poisoning in children. So if you do supplement with iron, keep it far away from little hands, like not in your purse, where they are likely to find it. I would think it wery hard for a paleo mom not to get enough iron in her diet so I wuld not bother supplementing. But I would take folic acid because I really don´t like vegetables that much, and I dont eat liver...yet. – coffeeandcream Sep 6 2011 at 8:34

Also the reason you get an upset stomach from iron supplementation is that bacteria in the gut eat it and you can get overgrowth. – coffeeandcream Sep 6 2011 at 8:35

Aughra · Answer 2 · 2011-09-05 19:25:50Z UTC

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No, you cannot give blood while pregnant or breastfeeding. It's one of the questions they ask before they will take the blood. You wouldn't want to lose that much iron, fluids, and such while trying to nourish a fetus anyway.

answered Sep 5 2011 at 19:25

Aughra
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jess6 · Answer 3 · 2011-09-05 19:15:48Z UTC

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I wouldn't think it would be a good idea, but one thing to keep in mind is that, because of normal and beneficial hemodilution, pregnant women generally have H&H levels below the level required to donate blood by mid-pregnancy.

answered Sep 5 2011 at 19:15

jess6
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Andrea · Answer 4 · 2011-09-05 19:18:23Z UTC

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I don't think you are supposed to, but the best way to find out for sure is to contact your local blood bank.

answered Sep 5 2011 at 19:18

Andrea
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Efaitch · Answer 5 · 2011-09-05 20:51:11Z UTC

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I'm in the UK. Pregnant women cannot give blood and postpartum women can only give blood 9 months after the birth of their baby.

It really is about the health and wellbeing of both the mother and foetus/baby.

answered Sep 5 2011 at 20:51

Efaitch
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Chikondi Talimile · Answer 6 · 2013-02-01 13:25:07Z UTC

In my opinion i think the unborn baby also depend on the mother's blood for supply of food nutrients. In fact, it doesn't necessarily mean that the baby depends on the circulatory system of the mother but the nutrients do assimilate into the digestive system of the unborn baby from the umbilical cord.

Safe to donate blood while pregnant?

6 Answers