Do You Know Your Blood Type? Why It Matters In Mexico
If you’ve lived in Mexico for any period of time, you may have seen the posts in local Facebook or WhatsApp groups from people who are looking for blood donors. As an immigrant from the US, this can seem strange. Why does this woman need just 5 more blood donors before her husband can get surgery? The truth is, Mexico does not have enough stored blood. To mitigate this, the country has instituted a ‘replacement donor system.’ Learn what this means and why in Mexico, it’s prudent to keep your own short list of potential blood donors.
How Mexico Gets Its Blood
In 2023, Mexico collected approximately 1.6 million units of blood. It was a relatively good year. Of these units, over 8% came from altruistic donors, a percentage that had risen from just over 5% the year before. Meanwhile, in the United States, 11.58 million units of blood were collected in 2023, nearly 100% of which came from volunteer donors.
So, if Mexico receives just 8% of its blood from volunteers, where is it getting the rest? Over 90% is por reposición, meaning it comes from ‘replacement donors.’ This refers to the mandate that those seeking surgery in Mexico find their own donors to ‘replace’ the blood they might use. In an emergency, this can apply to procedures retroactively. When you leave the hospital after an emergency, you may be given a ‘bill’ that requires you to pay back the blood you used.
How much do you owe? In Mexico, the hospital decides. Depending on the complexity of your procedure, you could be responsible for replacing anywhere from 4 to 10 units of blood before your surgery is scheduled. Sometimes, the blood type doesn’t matter; it’s simply a question of volume. At other times, you could be asked to seek out donors who match your specific blood type.
Getting The Blood You Need
It wasn’t until 2024 that Mexico instituted a National Blood System, designed to improve access to blood by nationalizing the distribution networks between Mexico’s 530 public and private blood banks. Still, the number of blood banks and the number of altruistic donations they receive is not enough to meet demand.
If you need blood in Mexico, you’ll have to rally your own group of family, friends and neighbors to donate on your behalf. Some turn to strangers on the internet, hoping that local communities will see the call and willingly come to the rescue.
Critics of the replacement donor system say it pushes desperate people into illegal activities in order to get the blood they need. In Mexico, it’s illegal to pay someone to donate on your behalf. Still, desperate families who need blood quickly and aren’t getting it from their acquaintances can all too easily connect with strangers who will donate blood for 500-1,000 MXN in order to make ends meet.
Paying for blood (or selling your blood) is a crime in Mexico that comes with hefty consequences. Authorities worry that those who give blood for money may not always reply honestly to health screening questions, as getting paid can be an incentive to lie.
Prudent emergency planning in Mexico includes knowing your blood type and keeping a short list of people you know who can donate on your behalf.
Who Can Give Blood in Mexico
Interestingly, Mexico may be caught in a viscous circle in which the replacement donor system prevents people from donating altrusitically. In a 2014 study, the most common reason people gave for not voluntarily donating was that they were “saving blood for a relative in need.” Mexico has recently instituted measures to address this and other myths via public education campaigns. Recent initatives emphasize that blood cannot be manufactured and encourage altruistic versus replacement donation.
Mexico has also been working on building trust amongst the public. In past years, for example, the very first question on blood donation applications eliminated members of the LGBTQIA+ community, even if their sexual practices did not put their blood at risk for infection. In 2012, Mexico became the first country in North America to allow gay and bisexual men to donate blood, focusing screening questions on behavior versus identity.
Unfortunately, past discrimination had already turned off many members of the community and led to a general atmosphere in which blood donation centers were perceived as lacking in trustworthiness, empathy and respect for privacy. This also led to several other myths about who could and could not donate blood.
Generally, you can donate blood in Mexico if…
You are between the ages of 18-64
You weigh at least 50kg (110 lbs)
You can’t transmit HIV
You can’t transmit Hepatitis B or C
You have not been an intravenous drug user
You do not have a blood disorder
You do not have a chronic lung disease
You have not had a tattoo, piercing or acupuncture within the past year
Click here for a more complete list of what might disqualify you from blood donation.
Foreigners, regardless of immigration status, can donate blood in Mexico as long as they meet the health and safety requirements.
Where to Donate Blood in Mexico
There are both private and public blood donation centers in Mexico. The most common places to donate as a volunteer are at the ABC Medical Centers in Mexico City, IMSS hospitals, or with the Mexican Red Cross.
If you are donating blood for someone who needs replacement donors, you must have the account number of the person in need to ensure that the blood gets allocated to them, specifically.
All blood donors in Mexico receive a comprehensive blood screening, the results of which will be shared with you.
There are limitations on how frequently you can give blood, including waiting periods of up to 4 months between donations for women and 3 months for men.
Special Considerations for Aging Expats
Lack of Awareness: Expats and immigrants to Mexico are often surprised to hear that they need to rally their own blood donors for an upcoming surgery. If you’ve read this far, congratulations! You’re now among the informed. Share this article to help inform others.
Lack of Community: Those new to Mexico can easily find themselves without community connections to rely on in their time of need. When you arrive in Mexico, remember that the effort you put into building community is potentially the single most important thing you can do for your health.
Age Restrictions: It’s more common to be facing major surgery after the age of 65. If your friend group is the same age as you, many people you know could be disqualified from donating blood.
Know your blood type
Share this article and discuss it with your friends
Be pro-active when it comes to meeting new people
Learn Spanish and become more embedded in local community
Stay active and open to befriending younger people
Finally, become a blood donor! If you’re able to, volunteering to donate blood is perhaps, karmically, the best thing you can do. It also checks some of the boxes above by allowing you to practice your Spanish, to meet new people, go new places and do new things.
Do you have an experience with blood donation to share? Let us know in the comments below, or join our private Facebook group to discuss.
