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Can direct relatives donate blood to each other?

Dec 29, 2022 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Lin Yunfei
Introduction
Direct relatives should not donate blood to one another. This is because the white blood cells of the donor may contain immunologically active cells, which, once introduced into the recipient's body, can attack the recipient's tissues due to genetic similarities between donor and recipient, potentially causing damage to various organs. To safely perform transfusions between relatives, the donor's blood can be irradiated with gamma rays to destroy the white blood cells, thereby preventing such complications.

In daily life, having a compassionate heart is important, and blood donation is one way we express that compassion. However, we must also ensure compatibility in blood types, as different blood types are not interchangeable. So, can immediate family members donate blood to each other?

Can Immediate Family Members Donate Blood to Each Other?

Immediate family members should generally not donate blood to one another. This is because the white blood cells of the donor may contain immunologically active cells that, once introduced into the recipient's body, can survive due to the genetic similarities between donor and recipient. These surviving immune cells may then attack the recipient’s organs, causing damage. Therefore, unless under special circumstances, hospitals typically do not recommend blood transfusions between close relatives. If a transfusion between immediate family members is absolutely necessary and blood types match, it can be done safely provided the donor's blood is first treated with gamma irradiation to destroy the majority of white blood cells.

Blood transfusion is usually considered only as a last resort, especially between immediate family members, where it is strongly discouraged. The main reason is to avoid transfusion reactions caused by alloantibodies. Current cross-matching techniques can only detect compatibility of blood group antigens and antibodies (IgM, IgG) between donor and recipient, but cannot identify all potential alloantibodies. Thus, even if cross-matching appears compatible, this does not guarantee safety in transfusions between relatives.

Blood transfusions between immediate family members increase the risk of transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD), which has a mortality rate exceeding 90% once it occurs. The closer the genetic relationship between donor and recipient, the higher the risk. Therefore, blood transfusions between close relatives should be avoided whenever possible. We hope this article has been helpful. Wishing you good health and happiness.


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