You do not need to know your blood type beforehand, nor will our staff be able to test your blood type for you prior to your donation. However, following your donation, your blood will be tested for its type and you will be informed of your blood group on your next donation. 

If the tattoo or body piercings was not done using sterile, single use, disposable needles (or if you are not sure), you can donate 3 months after the last tattoo or body piercing procedure. 

You can donate blood! However, you should not donate when you're under the influence of alcohol. It is important that you're in the best state of mind when you provide details about your health history to ensure blood safety. 

For cold, sore throat, flu or any other symptoms (except for fever), please wait 1 week after you've fully recovered before donating blood. For fever symptoms, please wait at least 4 weeks after you've fully recovered before donating. 

Iron-rich foods, such as lentils, pumpkin seeds, beans, dates, longans, grains, nuts, and green, leafy vegetables can help to ensure you meet the requirements for blood donation. Having a diet rich in Vitamin C can also help as it increases the absorption of iron in your body. 

Taking iron supplements a week before your scheduled donation can also make a difference. 

At the same time, avoid drinking tea/coffee/caffeine-rich drinks 1 hour before and after food, as caffeine can reduce the absorption of iron by more than 80%. 

Iron deficiency can be prevented by eating a well-balanced diet that includes iron-rich foods. Iron from meat and seafood sources is better absorbed by the body. However, you can improve iron absorption from non-meat and non-seafood sources by consuming them together with foods and liquids rich in Vitamin C. 

Foods that are rich in iron content can be found in the following (ranked from highest to lowest per standard serving within each category): 

Vegetable 

• Kang kong 
• Spinach (bayam pasir) 
• Chinese kale (kai lan) 

Meat and seafood 

• Pork kidney 
• Chicken liver or pork liver 
• Lean beef or lean mutton 
• Canned tomato sardines 
• Lean pork 

Beans, nuts, seeds, soy products 

• Lentils 
• Green gram or red gram 
• Cashew nuts 
• Sunflower seeds or watermelon seeds 
• White soya beans 
• Pistachios 
• Soya beancurd, tofu 

Fruits 

• Dried figs or dried longans 
• Dried black dates or dried red dates 
• Semi-dried prunes 

Rice and alternatives 

• Bran flakes 
• Cornflakes 
• Wholemeal pasta 

Haemoglobin (Hb) is a specialised protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the tissues and returns carbon dioxide from tissues to the lungs. Iron is essential for the manufacture of haemoglobin. 

Prior to each blood donation, you will be tested for your Hb level usually through a simple finger-prick test at the blood donation site. Donors must have a Hb level of at least 12.5g/dl for females and 13.0g/dl for males before they can donate blood. This is to ensure the safety of the donor as frequent blood donations without sufficient replacement of the iron can lead to iron deficiency anaemia. 

For blood donations in Singapore, you are required to provide your residential address details (valid for 3 months from your intended donation date) for registration and a contact number by which we can contact you in case of an emergency or if clarification is needed. 

Blood makes up about 7% of our body weight. We collect 350ml from those who weigh 45-50kg and 450ml from anyone weighing above 50kg. 

Collecting less than 300ml of blood is insufficient and taking more than that from someone weighing less than 45kg may cause them to feel giddy. 

For individuals aged 16 or 17 who wish to donate blood, they are required to submit a signed parental consent form. This is a necessary first step for anyone aged 16 or 17 before they are allowed to register for blood donation.