Can women, who lose blood during menstruation, still be regular donors?
Women can donate blood just as regularly as men. However, we advise our female donors to have iron-rich diets and to take the iron supplement that is given to them after every blood donation. Should a regular blood donor take more iron, or other supplements, to replace the lost blood? I would advise potential donors to increase your intake of iron-rich food such as red meat, beans, dark green vegetables, iron-fortified cereals, raisins and prunes two weeks before your donation, and to drink extra fluids the day before and on the day of donation. Other tips: • Have a good night’s rest before your blood donation and have something light to eat and drink two hours prior to donating blood. • Avoid fatty food as lipids (fatty materials) that appear in your blood several hours after eating can affect the tests carried out on the blood you have donated. • Try to wear short sleeved or loose fitting sleeves so as not to cause constriction to the arm when the sleeve is rolled up. • Relax during
