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Designated donor blood?

Missa_gMissa_g member
in Preemies
We just found out our oldest boy, Jacen, is anemic and will possibly need a transfusion soon.  What are the benefits to using designated donor blood?  We plan to ask the doctor but I was curious how others have made the choice.  Here it would cost $332 for my husband to donate and we wouldn't find out if he's CMV negative until afterwards.  I'm certainly not putting money ahead of my son's well being if there truly are benefits.
Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
Married 9/22/07, began TTC 8/10
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BFP #1 EDD 9/10/11, natural miscarriage at 6w
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BFP #3 EDD 8/8/14, D&C for missed miscarriage at 8w, baby boy with triploidy
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Re: Designated donor blood?

  • DrRxDrRx member

    DH was a Direct Donor for Adalyn's blood transfusions, but it didn't cost anything.  I'm not sure what state you are in, but here there was no fee to donate the blood here as a direct donor for our preemie. He had to go to the main office/branch of the Blood Bank and had to have a special form from her neonatologist.  Whatever isn't used by our daughter would be used for someone else.

    DH was CMV negative, but the nurses told us that it was pretty rare to have a dad who was able to directly donate because most people from the East Coast are CMV positive. 

    Adalyn had 5 transfusions, 3 of which were DHs.  The first one was an anonymous donor because it was the day after she was born and the last one was also anonymous because the blood that DH donated had expired and he wasn't yet allowed to donate again.  The other 3 times she got DHs blood.  

     

    TTC Since July 2008.
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    Clomid+IUI+Ovidrel 2010 BFN
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    Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
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  • JuliaJAGJuliaJAG

    Why are they charging you money for donating? I signed up as a directed donor for my baby through the Red Cross (my NICU set it up and completed and faxed the directed donor form; all I had to do was set up the appointment). There was no fee. 

    As for benefits, our main concern was the possibility of diseases/viruses that haven't been discovered yet and therefore they're not screening for. But, I'm sure that's not likely.  

    Julia ~ six miscarriages ~ our sweet miracle baby, Jack, due 5/3/12, was born at 29w1d on February 17, 2012, weighing 2 pounds 8 ounces Lilypie Premature Baby tickers BabyFetus Ticker
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  • adrielegorburuadrielegorburu member
    Ive never heard of someone charging you to donate! thats crazy! My brother was the designated donor for DD - she had over 20 transfusions and almost all were his blood - he went to a local office that delivered to the hospital blood bank and the service was free.
    image image imageLilypie Premature Baby tickers
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  • kaylaaimeekaylaaimee
    There were no fees here either. Several of our family members direct donated for Scarlette but the drs told us that really the big benefit is just that you know your donor. Healthwise there wasn't a big difference they said. It helped our family feel like they were doing something for her and it helped us to know that her blood was coming from people who took good care of themselves- but honestly, I think most people who take the time to donate blood take the time to take care of their health.
    Lilypie Premature Baby tickersPhotobucket Keep up with Scarlette at http://kaylaaimee.com
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