Plasma donation, or plasmapheresis, involves drawing whole blood, separating the plasma component, and returning the remaining red blood cells to the donor. This protein-rich, liquid portion of the blood is used to create life-saving therapies for people with immune deficiencies, bleeding disorders, and other chronic illnesses. While many people are eligible to donate, virtually all plasma centers place a temporary deferral on mothers who are currently breastfeeding. This restriction is intended to protect the health of both the mother and the recipient. The deferral addresses the intense physiological demands of lactation, the potential presence of residual medications, and mandatory regulatory standards governing blood product safety.
Physiological Demands on the Breastfeeding Mother
The primary consideration for deferring a breastfeeding mother from plasma donation is the significant strain placed on her body by milk production. Lactation requires a massive metabolic effort, increasing daily energy needs by an estimated 500 to 670 kilocalories during the first six months. This high caloric and nutritional demand is compounded by the body’s ongoing recovery from pregnancy and delivery.
Milk production requires a substantial amount of water, with lactating women needing a total water intake that can reach up to 3.8 liters daily. Plasma donation removes a large volume of the mother’s circulating fluid, which can quickly lead to dehydration, dizziness, or fainting during or immediately after the procedure. This rapid fluid volume depletion poses a direct health risk to the donor and can compromise her ability to maintain a stable milk supply for the infant.
Plasma is rich in proteins, including albumin and clotting factors, which are crucial components of breast milk and maternal recovery. Lactating women require a higher protein intake, approximately 1.05 grams per kilogram of body weight daily, to support milk synthesis. Removing these proteins through plasmapheresis can exacerbate existing nutritional deficits, such as low iron stores (anemia), which are common following childbirth. Plasma donation is temporarily restricted until the mother’s body has stabilized its nutritional reserves.
Concerns Regarding Postpartum Medications and Transfer
A secondary concern for deferring breastfeeding mothers relates to the potential for therapeutic drugs to be present in the donated plasma. Following delivery, many mothers receive short-term medications, such as antibiotics or prescription-strength pain relievers. Screening protocols must ensure that no active drug metabolites are transferred to a recipient, which could be harmful to vulnerable patients, including those with compromised immune systems.
Plasma collection standards require that the donor’s plasma be free of non-standard compounds. Since the presence and metabolic clearance rate of every possible postpartum medication cannot be individually verified for every donor, regulatory bodies opt for a temporary blanket deferral. This simplifies the rigorous screening process and eliminates the risk of introducing drug residue into the plasma supply.
Certain medications carry a specific, long-term deferral risk if they are known to cause birth defects, even in trace amounts. Although a breastfeeding mother’s plasma is not typically transfused directly, the plasma is pooled and fractionated to create pharmaceutical products. Implementing a temporary deferral during the period when medication use is most likely ensures the chemical purity of the final plasma-derived product.
Regulatory Requirements and Deferral Timelines
Guidelines for blood and plasma donor eligibility are established by organizations such as the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These organizations set stringent standards to protect both the donor and the safety of the blood supply. The deferral for breastfeeding falls under these established health and safety protocols.
The specific duration of the deferral period is designed to allow the mother’s body to fully recover from the physiological stresses of pregnancy and lactation. While policies vary between individual donation centers, the most common waiting period is a minimum of six weeks postpartum. Many centers require a longer deferral, often six months after delivery, or six weeks after the mother has completely stopped breastfeeding.
Some centers may permit donation earlier if the child is determined to be “significantly weaned,” meaning the baby receives the majority of nutrition from solid food or formula. This condition attempts to balance maternal health concerns with the desire to donate. However, the decision is ultimately based on ensuring the mother’s iron and fluid status has returned to pre-pregnancy levels. The deferral timeline is a practical, administrative measure that supports protecting the mother’s recovery and ensuring the quality of the plasma product.