Is a blood transfusion safe?
Blood used for transfusions in the United States is very safe and generally free from disease. Donated blood is carefully tested. It is very rare to get a disease through a blood transfusion. Getting the wrong blood type by accident is the main risk in a blood transfusion, but it is rare. Getting the wrong blood type happens about once in every 14,000 transfusions. 1 Transfusion with the wrong blood type can cause a severe reaction that may be life-threatening. Some people bank their own blood a few weeks before they have surgery. If they need a transfusion during surgery, they can receive their own banked blood. This reduces the risk of disease and transfusion reaction from donated blood. If you have many blood transfusions, you are more likely to have problems from immune system reactions. A reaction happens when your body rejects the new blood and tries to attack parts of it. But tests can help avoid this. Before you get a blood transfusion, your blood is tested to find out your blo
