Can You Donate Plasma While Pregnant?

Donating plasma is a great way to do something good for others and earn a little extra cash. There are countless plasma donation sites throughout the nation, and each of these locations offers a generous compensation and other incentives. But can you donate plasma while pregnant? 

Although there are currently no known health risks for women who donate plasma while pregnant, the plasma sourced from pregnant women may be harmful to recipients. Most plasma centers have strict rules against donating during gestation for this and other reasons. To protect the health of plasma recipients and ensure the integrity of biotherapies or medications made with donated plasma, plasma centers have a laundry list of plasma donation requirements. Fortunately, DoNotPay can help you learn how to donate plasma safely and with maximum rewards. 

Why Donate Plasma?

One of the most common reasons for donating plasma is that it's a quick and easy way to get a little extra cash. Compensation for these donations typically ranges between $40 and $75 per visit. Moreover, first-time donors often receive hefty bonuses. Plasma centers also offer bonuses to regular donors during holiday seasons and when donations are insufficient for meeting demand. If you're in a crunch due to a short-term cash flow issue, this is money that can be used to get groceries, put gas in your car, make a cell phone payment, or take care of other urgent expenses and needs.

However, in addition to the monetary benefits of donating plasma, there are many other good reasons for making these contributions, such as:

1. A single plasma donation can save as many as three lives
2. Life-saving medications are made from plasma donations
3. Donated plasma contributes to several life-saving and life-enhancing biotherapies

There's also the fact that plasma donations with high titer levels (high levels of antibodies) can benefit high-risk COVID patients and slow the progression of this disease. This means people who have had COVID and those who have had the COVID vaccine can qualify to donate plasma, as long as they’re not showing any symptoms.

If you're still unsure whether you should donate plasma or not, here are some more reasons.

Donating Plasma Isn't the Same as Donating Whole Blood

You can make extra money, help others, further important medical research, and contribute to the production of critical medicines and therapies. Best of all, you can accomplish all of these things without having any significant impact on your overall health. That's because donating plasma isn't the same as making a whole blood donation. Plasma makes up about 55 percent of your blood, and it's about 90 percent water. As such, it takes less time for your body to recover post-donation. Moreover, while you have to wait no fewer than 56 days between blood donations, most plasma donation centers will accept contributions twice each week.

The process for donating plasma takes a couple of hours compared to donating blood which takes less than an hour. This is because of the extra steps the center needs to take after collecting the plasma from your body.

Eligibility Requirements for Donating Plasma

When donating plasma for the first time, you'll be required to undergo a brief, in-office medical examination. You'll be asked about high-risk behaviors and life habits, including whether or not you've engaged in intravenous drug use, whether you've received treatment for specific forms of a substance use disorder, and whether or not you routinely engage in unprotected intercourse with multiple partners.

There are also several basic eligibility requirements for donating plasma that all donors must meet. For instance, donors must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Weigh at least 110 pounds
• Be non-reactive in testing for hepatitis, HIV, and other transmissible viruses.
• Be in good general health.

Before each donation, onsite staff will take your blood pressure and heart rate, weigh you, and make sure that your blood is sufficiently iron-rich and not indicating any serious nutritional deficiencies. These measures are taken to keep donors safe and ensure the integrity and viability of all collected plasma donations.

Donating Plasma While Pregnant

Donating plasma while pregnant won't harm your baby or you. However, it may prove dangerous for those who receive your donation as part of any life-saving therapy or intervention. Transfusions made with plasma collected from pregnant women can result in a severe pulmonary complication known as transfusion-related acute lung injury. As such, if you believe that you may be pregnant, if you're actively trying to get pregnant, or if you've recently miscarried, you want to mention these things at the time of check-in.

How Much Do You Get Paid to Donate Plasma?

Compensation for plasma donations varies from company to company and for each person. People who weigh more tend to make more money when donating plasma, given that more plasma can be collected from these individuals during each visit. On average, donors are compensated between $40 and $75 each visit. However, in some areas and at some donation sites, per-visit compensation can be as low as just $20 and as high as $100 or even higher. Many plasma centers increase their payment and offer incredibly worthwhile incentives when the demand for plasma is especially high and when contributions are uncharacteristically low. People who donate plasma twice each week can earn between $250 and $300 a month in most areas.

Things to Keep in Mind Before Donating Plasma

There are five important things to remember before donating plasma. Make sure to:

1. Eat well and rest well ahead of your donation day.
2. Drink plenty of water as good hydration will make the retrieval process faster and easier.
3. Avoid caffeine, tobacco, and other stimulants before donating.
4. Bring a light snack to refresh yourself after your donation is complete.
5. Have an alternative transportation plan in case you feel lightheaded after donating.

Certain changes in your health and life habits can render you ineligible for donating plasma. At some plasma centers, getting a new tattoo or body piercing, getting pregnant, and taking a new type of medication are all actions that may require additional medical review and a mandatory waiting period.

Where Should I Donate Plasma?

There are many plasma donation centers throughout the United States. Some of the best-known and highest paying companies are:

• CSL Plasma
• BPL Plasma
• Biotest Plasma Center
• Kedplasma
• Immunotek
• Octaplasma
• BPL Plasma

How to Find the Best Site to Donate Plasma on Your Own

You can search online for plasma donation centers in your area. Then, make comparisons of the compensation and incentives that these entities offer. A good donation site will have competitive compensation rates and a reputation for providing clear, straightforward instructions and a comfortable donation environment.

Next Steps if You Can't Find a Good Plasma Donation Site by Yourself

If you cannot find sufficient information on local plasma donation centers online, consider visiting a few locations in-person to assess their requirements. Some sites have strict requirements concerning what new donors must bring. For instance, you may be required to show one or more forms of ID and proof of your current address. If you intend to donate on the same day, you'll need to have all essential documents on hand.

Use DoNotPay to Find the Best Plasma Donation Sites in Your Area

With the DoNotPay Clinical Trials Product, you can get straightforward, location-specific information on who can and cannot donate plasma. You can also get the addresses, contact information, and compensation schedule for multiple plasma donation sites.

Here's how you can use DoNotPay to become a plasma donor:

1. Search "plasma donations" on DoNotPay and find the nearest donation clinic through our clinical trials product.

    

2. Select the "Contact Now" button to learn more about eligibility criteria, contact the clinic with questions, or sign up for first-time donor bonuses.

    

3. Verify your information and submit your inquiry! DoNotPay will contact the clinic on your behalf and ensure your questions get answered.

    

Why Use DoNotPay When You Want to Donate Plasma?

If you want to donate plasma for money or the sake of medically benefiting others, using DoNotPay will help you get the best possible returns on your contributions. With DoNotPay, you can get answers to questions like:

• How long after a miscarriage can you donate plasma?
• Can people with diabetes donate plasma?

And more. With DoNotPay, finding the best plasma donation site is always quick, easy, and hassle-free.

DoNotPay Works Across All Companies With One Click

With DoNotPay, you can get eligibility criteria from multiple plasma donation centers in mere seconds. DoNotPay works across all companies with just one click. This makes it easy to find the highest-paying plasma centers in your area and identify all of the plasma donation opportunities you're qualified to pursue.

How Else Can DoNotPay Help You Make and Save Money?

As the world's first and leading robot lawyer, DoNotPay has got answers to all of your questions, including "Can you donate plasma while pregnant?". With DoNotPay, you can get helpful information, solve time-consuming and frustrating problems, and find ways to make and save money. Use DoNotPay to quickly:

• Draft an advance healthcare directive
• Find clinical trials that you're qualified to take part in
• Request sick leave from your employer
• File and manage insurance claims

And much more. Sign up for DoNotPay today to get started!