Eligibility
Can Women Donate Blood?
Yes — with the same rules and a couple of extra considerations.
The same core criteria
Age 18–65, 45 kg+, hemoglobin ≥ 12.5 g/dL. The hemoglobin bar defers more women than men in India — an iron-rich diet often fixes borderline cases within months.
Timing considerations
Menstruation itself doesn't disqualify (donate if you feel well); pregnancy and roughly a year postpartum defer; breastfeeding mothers are generally deferred while feeding primarily.
The four-month interval
Women donate whole blood every 4 months (vs 3 for men), purely for iron recovery.
Frequently asked questions
Why was I deferred for low hemoglobin?
It protects you — ask the bank your value, improve iron intake, and return; most deferred women donate successfully later.
Can women donate platelets?
Yes — same apheresis criteria; some banks screen multiparous women's plasma differently per protocol.