Think of new moms when donating blood

AS August is Women’s Month, the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) encourages South Africans to become donors to ensure that more newborns grow up with their mothers.

Each day, nearly 800 women die from pregnancy-related complications worldwide. Currently 27% of maternal deaths are as a result of severe bleeding during labour. Among the causes responsible for 75% of deaths highlighted by the World Health Organisation, haemorrhage at birth is ranked second. Pre-existing medical conditions aggravated by pregnancy such as diabetes, malaria, HIV, obesity are first on the list.

In Africa, haemorrhage during pregnancy kills 34% of mothers and although maternal mortality rates have dropped by 50% between 1990 and 2013 in sub-Saharan Africa, more work can be done to further reduce the number of mothers dying.

In 2010 the SANBS reported that obstetrics and gynaecology cases used 26% of its total blood supply for that year. Other medical cases such as anaemia accounted for 27% of blood used.

“Most maternal mortality is preventable and blood transfusions could mean the difference between life and death for many bleeding mothers,” said SANBS communications manager Vanessa Raju.

SANBS collects about 3,000 units of blood daily and it is committed to raising awareness about the need for blood to make sure fewer South African mothers bleed to death.

“Women’s Month is a great opportunity for us to remind donors that when they sacrifice their time to donate blood they save mothers who could die within hours without adequate blood supply to replenish blood lost at childbirth,” said Vanessa.

For more information on how to become a donor visit www.sanbs.org.za and Facebook: SANBS.