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Blood and Platelet Donation

blood-donation Start your blood donation
  • Call: 1-319-356-2058
  • DeGowin Blood Center Location
Help us prevent the spread of COVID-19
Donate safely by: Staying 6 feet from other people, wearing a mask, and monitoring your health. Watch for symptoms and track your temperature. Don’t come in if you don’t feel well.

About Blood Donations through the DeGowin Blood Center

Calling All Heroes

Each week more than 450 blood products are transfused at the hospital. Cancer patients, surgical patients, premature infants, people being treated for accident and trauma, recipients of marrow and organ transplants and patients with diseases such as sickle cell anemia and hemophilia all depend on donated blood as part of their care.

Blood donors are welcome at the Blood Center in the hospital (Elevator B, Level 2) or at a DeGowin blood drive in the community. Walk-ins are accepted but appointments are preferred.

450+

blood products are transfused each week

Types of Blood Donation

Whole Blood Donation

During a whole blood donation, a donor donates one pint of whole blood.  The entire whole blood donation process takes about 45 minutes. After the donation, the donated whole blood is separated by the blood bank into two transfusable components – red cells and plasma.  This means that up to two patients can be helped with each whole blood donation.

Whole blood donation takes place at our community blood drives as well as in the Donor Center.  The donation interval for a whole blood donation varies based on the age of the donor.

Automated or Platelet Donation

Through a procedure called apheresis, platelets, plasma and red cells can be collected from one donor during a single automated donation process. In this way a donor is able to help up to three patients. The best products to be collected from a donor are based on the donor’s blood type, pre-donation blood counts, and the products most needed by the patients in University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics on a daily basis.

Platelet donation only takes place at the Donor Center in the hospital. The entire process takes between one and a half to two and a half hours. During this time, donors are welcome to read, watch television or work on a small electronic device. The donation interval varies for each blood product donated via an automated donation.

More Resources

Patient Services

We offer a full range of therapeutic procedures including plasma exchange, red blood cell exchange (or red blood cell depletion/exchange), photopheresis, cellular depletion, peripheral blood stem cell and mononuclear cell collection, and therapeutic phlebotomy

Laboratory Services

Transfusion Service, Tissue and Cellular Therapies, Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Laboratory , Tissue Bank

Schools and Programs

The University of Iowa DeGowin Blood Center instituted a scholarship program for deserving high school seniors who have donated blood, helped with blood drives and/or have shown community service leadership.

Sidebar content

  • Blood and Platelet Donation
    • DeGowin Blood Center
      • Blood Donation Eligibility, Process, and Interviews
      • Patient Services: DeGowin Blood Center
      • Laboratory Services: DeGowin Blood Center
      • Schools and Programs - Blood Donation
      • Donation Information: DeGowin Blood Center
    • Tissue, Organ, and Body Donation

Blood Donation Forms

  • Consent Form for 16-Year-Olds
  • Donor Educational Materials
  • Donor Questionnaire
  • Iron Deficiency
  • Medication Deferral List
Learn more about receiving blood

Tell us your story

What does it mean to you to be a blood donor? Why did you start? Why do you continue? Have you ever been on the receiving end of a blood donation? How did it feel to know that someone you never met cared enough to give of themselves and help save your life? Why do you feel loyal to the DeGowin Blood Center?

The UI DeGowin Blood Center wants to hear from you as we document the many miracles of blood donors and blood recipients and celebrate life.

  • Blood Donor Stories Submission Form

Locations and Offices

DeGowin Blood Center

C250 General Hospital (GH)
Level 2, Elevator B
1-319-356-2058
[email protected]
Clinic
In University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242
Clinical Trials currently in progress
Browse all clinical trials in progress

200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242
United States

1-800-777-8442
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University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital is part of University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.