How Does Pregnancy Cause Risky Blood Donations?
While pregnant, a mother is often exposed to the white blood cells of her baby. When these fetal cells resemble the father, the woman’s body recognizes them as “non-self” and forms antibodies against them. Antibodies are created to attack a specific foreign agent when the immune system springs to action. The blood plasma of women who have had multiple pregnancies is more likely to contain these antibodies. Danger arises in the unlikely event that this blood plasma is donated to a person who is genetically similar to the baby. The antibodies in the donated blood product can attack the white blood cells of the recipient triggering severe swelling of the lungs that can lead to lung failure. In up to 10 percent of cases, TRALI results in death. It is important to note that multiple pregnancies are not the only cause of TRALI. Research suggests that in some cases, the recipient actually harbors antibodies to the donor’s white blood cells causing the same end result. What’s more, multiple tr
