Blood donation

Breastfeeding by itself is not a contraindication for blood donation.

Restrictions to donate blood by nursing mothers are intended to preserve iron levels and avoid additional nutritional stress. Indeed, it is more related to pregnancy and childbirth than to breastfeeding itself.

Various responsible agencies keep a wide range of time-exclusion criteria to become a donor after childbirth ^{(Zalpuri 2020, Karp 2010, Eder 2009)}:

• 6 weeks: American Association of Blood Banks, American Red Cross ^{(ARC 2022)}
• 12 weeks: Paraguay where a previous medical approval is required
• 6 months: El Salvador ^{(MSES 2010)}, Hema-Quebec, United Kingdom ^{(NHS 2022)}, Cruz Roja Española ^{(CRE 2022)}
• 9 months: Australian Red Cross, Norvege ^{(Misje 2010)}
• The Pan American Health Organization, the blood banks of Bolivia and the Spanish Ministry of Health completely exclude nursing mothers of blood donation. ^{(BSS 2019, PAHO 2009, MSCE 2006)}

This lack of consensus benefits no one. Very strict criteria can undermine the level of donations ^{(Eder 2009)} and make breastfeeding women feel overprotected or undervalued.

Possibly it would be better to individualize the criteria at the medical level, based on the hemoglobin level, establishing a reasonable reasonable time after delivery and adapting specific protocols for women who wish to donate blood.

Blood donation in women of childbearing age does not cause any problems in post-donation pregnancies and decreases the risk of low birth weight ^{(Chassé 2020, Germain 2016)}, or increases the risk of macrosomia at birth. ^{(Mon 2022)}