General
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to bring anything to my appointment to prove I am eligible to donate?
When coming to your appointment, we ask that you bring any form of identification. Other than that, all you need to bring is yourself! Before the donation process, you will go through what we call a, “history screening,” where you will complete a series of health and lifestyle questions and receive a mini-physical where a team member will check your temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and hemoglobin level by pricking your finger to ensure you are healthy to donate.
If you recently donated blood, how long should you wait until you can donate again?
If you donated whole blood, you have to wait 56 days (eight weeks) since your last donation to be eligible to donate again. If you donated automated, double red cells, you will have to wait 112 days before you can donate again.
Can the LGBTQ+ community donate blood?
LifeServe Blood Center is regulated by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure safety guidelines for the blood supply. The current FDA policy states that any blood donor, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, who has had anal sex with a new and/or multiple partners will be required to wait to donate three months from the date of the donation attempt.
If the donor has not had new and/or multiple partners in the last three months, there is no risk of a newly acquired transfusion-transmitted infection and the donor is able to donate, if they meet all other eligibility criteria.
How long is the waiting period to donate after giving birth?
Women on oral contraceptives or using other forms of birth control are eligible to donate.
How long do you need to wait to donate blood after you travelled outside the country?
When travelling outside of the United States and Canada, you can be exposed to Malaria through travel. Travel in some areas can sometimes defer donors. If you have traveled outside of the United States and Canada, your travel destinations will be reviewed at the time of donation. If you have traveled or lived in a malaria-risk country, we may require a waiting period before you can donate blood. We ask that you come to your appointment to donate with all of your travel details prepared for your history screening. If you have been outside the United States or Canada within the past 3 years, you will be asked a series of questions. Be prepared to answer questions similar to these: What countries did you visit? Where did you travel while in this country? Did you leave the city or resort at any time? If yes, where did you go? What mode of transportation did you use? How long did you stay? What date did you return to the U.S.?
Do I need to speak English to donate blood with LifeServe?
Yes. All of our materials and processes are currently only available to English speaking donors. We are working on expanding this other languages so stay tuned for future updates.
I do not speak English. Can I bring a translator in with me to donate?
Unfortunately at this time the donor needs to be able to speak English throughout the entire blood donation process. We are working on expanding this to other languages so stay tuned for future updates.
If you have your ears or skin pierced, can you still donate?
If you were pierced with single use equipment, you can donate. Otherwise, there will be a 3 month deferral. Acupuncture is acceptable if performed using sterile/single-use needles.
How long do you need to wait to donate blood after you get a tattoo?
There is no deferral period if you received a tattoo in a licensed facility in any of the following states: Iowa, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington or Wisconsin.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Pre-donation:
• Drinking plenty of fluids, eating a good meal, increasing your salt intake slightly, and receiving plenty of rest prior to your donation are important factors to a positive donation experience.
Donation:
• It is crucial that the health and lifestyle questions asked during the Donor History Screening process are answered with honesty. These questions are mandated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure a safe blood supply. All answers are confidential and used only to determine donor eligibility.
• If you feel uncomfortable or believe your blood may not be eligible for donation during any step of the donation process, simply tell a LifeServe Blood Center team member and we will discontinue the donation process.
• During the donation process, the vast majority of donors feel fine. However, some donors may experience dizziness, light-headedness or nausea. There may be slight pain, numbness, tingling, bruising or a red mark where the needle was inserted.
Post-donation:
• Avoid vigorous exercise after your donation.
• Do not smoke within one hour of your donation.
• Do your best to drink four extra glasses of water over the next couple of days to rehydrate.
• Apply firm pressure if the needle site starts to bleed.
• Contact LifeServe Blood Center if you have specific care questions at 800-287-4903, ext. 4876.
There is no substitute for your donation, so each and every time you give you make a difference. You save lives!