Plasma Donation Eligibility: Here's Why Women Who Have Given Birth to Children Can't Donate Plasma to Treat Coronavirus Patients
Women who have given birth to children cannot donate plasma because they are more likely to have certain antibodies that can cause a rare but potentially fatal transfusion reaction, called, transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) in the plasma recipient.
The entire world is struggling to fight against the tremendous rise in coronavirus cases as it reached 10,992,462 cases, and there has been no approved treatment for the infection so far. While the mortality rate for coronavirus is low, but 5,24,188 across the globe have already died, according to Worldometer numbers. Plasma therapy is being used currently to treat moderate coronavirus cases in India. It has helped majority of the patients to recover, by not letting their condition worsen.
Delhi launched India's first plasma bank on Thursday for treatment of coronavirus patients. Delhi Minister Satyendra Jain, who is recovering from the Covid-19, was also administered with plasma therapy. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Inaugurates India's First 'Plasma Bank' For COVID-19 Treatment; Here's All About the Initiative.
Who Can Donate Plasma According to ICMR:
As per Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)'s trial protocol released on April 22, males or nulliparous female donors (along with other requirements which need to be met) can qualify to donate plasma. According to the medical term, nulliparous is the medical term for a woman who has never given birth. This term also includes women who have given birth to a stillborn baby or a baby who was otherwise not able to survive outside the womb. This clearly means that women who have given birth to children are not eligible to donate plasma.
Here' why women who gave birth to children can't donate plasma
Women who have given birth to children cannot donate plasma because they are more likely to have certain antibodies that can cause a rare but potentially fatal transfusion reaction, called, transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) in the plasma recipient.
According to a report on COSMOS, TRALI is thought to arise because of the presence of human leucocyte antibodies (HLA) and active lipids present in stored blood. HLA production correlates with pregnancy history.
What is Plasma Therapy?
The plasma of a cured patient is considered to carry virus-fighting antibodies which boost the immune system’s response to the disease. Plasma is the almost-clear liquid left behind after red and white blood cells and platelets are removed from the blood.
How Does Plasma Bank Work?
Like in blood banks, where blood is extracted and stored for those who might be in need, the idea is to extract and store plasma from people who have recovered from coronavirus and give it to someone suffering from the disease. Delhi was among the first to get approval from the ICMR to conduct trials with plasma therapy, which is still at the trial stage.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 03, 2020 01:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).