You raise a very common concern amongst people receiving blood transfusions.
It is a very generous offer to donate blood for your wife but there are several reasons why it would not be possible.
- Compatibility - The first and most simple reason is that your blood group may not be compatible with your wife's and, if this were the case, giving her your blood would be very dangerous.
- Infection - You may also carry some common infections that many of us carry and that your wife should not be exposed to, such as the virus CMV. All blood donors are screened for a range of infections including HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and several hepatitis viruses. Platelets are only collected from blood donors who donate regularly and we know that the chance of catching an infection from these donors is tiny. The Blood Service estimates the risk of transmission of HIV through a blood transfusion is now 1 in 2 million.
- Practicalities of donation - You could give a maximum of 1 unit of blood every 4 weeks and 1 dose of platelets every 2 - 4 weeks depending on your blood count. This is unlikely to be enough for your wife so you would need to find other family donors. This would increase the infection risks compared to using highly screened blood donors. Family donors might feel pressure to donate blood and so not able to admit to high-risk activities that may transmit HIV or hepatitis. Their infections may also not be picked up on blood tests if they are done in the early stages.
As you are probably know your wife has been having these transfusions of red cells and platelets during her treatment because her own marrow has been unable to produce all the blood cells that she needs. To begin with this was because it was packed full of leukaemic cells and now, hopefully, it is because of the chemotherapy the doctors have given her to treat her leukaemia. This will temporarily damage her healthy marrow cells and it will take time for them to recover and start producing normal blood cells again. Without the transfusions she would become anaemic, tired and breathless and she would be at a high risk of serious problems from bleeding. She clearly needs these transfusions to help her through her treatment - indeed one of the reasons more people are being cured of leukaemia now compared to 20 years ago is the better availability of red cell and platelet transfusions.
Your wife's doctors will be assessing her each day and looking at her blood results before deciding whether she needs a transfusion. Most cancer units have clear guidelines for when to give a transfusion. Please discuss your concerns with your wife's doctors and to ask them their reasons for deciding on a red cell or platelet transfusion for your wife. It is important that you and your wife understand why things are happening and feel involved in the decisions.