Grant: Operating Grant: Priority Announcement - Transfusion Science

The blood supply in Canada depends on volunteer blood donors. Most blood donors give repeated donations which can deplete iron stores and lead to decreased hemoglobin levels. This can have negative health impacts on blood donors and particularly on females of child bearing age. Iron deficiency is a common problem in women of child bearing age and is known to be associated with adverse maternal and newborn outcomes. Through a unique collaboration with Canadian Blood Services, the Ottawa Health Research Institute, the Better Outcomes Registry and Network (BORN) registry of births in Ontario and the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences, we will be able to explore the potential impact of repeated blood donations in female donors on outcomes in mothers and babies.The study will provide important information to inform blood donation policies in Canada and worldwide and to help limit potential adverse outcomes from blood donation.