• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Transfusion News
  • About Us
  • Topics
    • Adverse Events (non-infectious)
    • Blood Donation
    • Cell Therapy
    • Coagulation & Plasma Transfusion
    • Platelet Transfusion
    • Policy and Guidelines
    • Quality Control and Regulatory
    • RBC Transfusion
    • Serology/Genotyping
    • Special Transfusion Situations
    • Transfusion Transmitted Infections
  • Continuing Education
  • Archives
  • Podcasts
  • Question of the Day
  • Search
  • Subscribe to Email Alerts
  • Follow us on
  • Search
  • Subscribe to Email Alerts

Female Blood Donors at Risk for Iron Deficiency

February 21, 2019

In the United States, adolescents 16-18 years old donate approximately 1.5 million units of blood each year. Although donating blood is a relatively safe procedure, about 200-250 milligrams of iron are removed from individuals donating whole blood.  This could be particularly problematic for female donors who typically have smaller total blood volumes and also lose blood during menstruation each month.  A recent analysis of the 1999-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, suggests that both adolescent and adult female blood donors are more likely to have iron deficiency and anemia as compared to those who do not donate.  Based on 2,419 female adolescents 16-19 years old of which 10.7% donated blood and 7228 female adults 20-49 years old of which 6.4% donated blood, serum ferritin levels were lower in both adolescent (p<0.001) and adult donors (p<0.001) compared to non-donors.  In addition, female adolescent and adult donors were more likely to have depleted iron stores (serum ferritin levels <12 ng/ml) and iron deficiency anemia (serum ferritin levels <26 ng/ml) compared to female non-donors, raising concerns over the long term-consequences of iron deficiency.  Further measures to protect female donors from iron deficiency may be needed.

Reference:

Patel EU, White JL, Bloch EM, Grabowski MK, et al. Association of blood donation with iron deficiency among adolescent and adult females in the United States: a nationally representative study. Transfusion 2019; doi:10.1111/trf.15179

Filed Under

  • Blood Donation
  • News

Recommended

  • Better Screening Methods for Zika Virus Are Needed to Protect the Blood Supply

  • Immunogenicity of MMR Vaccine in Chronically Transfused Pediatric Patients

  • Are WHO Guidelines for Serum Ferritin Levels for Female Blood Donors Too Low?

Show Comments

Comments on this article are closed.

Get the latest news. Subscribe to our mailing list. Sign Up

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • Directed Blood Donations Should be Limited

  • Babesia Infection Reduces Red Cell Deformability

  • New Erythropoietin Gene Variants Linked to Hereditary Erythrocytosis

  • Multifaceted Threats to the Blood Supply from Climate Change

    Question of the Day

    Copyright © 2025 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Privacy Policy

    Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies Wiley