Bone marrow donation process
While TV shows and movies have wildly exaggerated blood stem cell donation—especially bone marrow donation—as something scary, the reality is much less dramatic. There are several steps in the marrow donation process, all in place to ensure the donor and patient are the best match and that the donation process runs safely and smoothly.
From registering to matching with a patient to donating, NMDPSM is by your side. After you’ve agreed to move forward with donation, we’ll help you:
- Complete a health history questionnaire
- Move through additional testing to make sure you’re the best match
- Get your questions answered in a detailed information session
- Undergo a physical exam and give blood samples to ensure it’s safe for you to donate
- Throughout your journey, you’ll have a team of NMDP experts working with you to answer any questions and make sure you’re set up for a successful donation. The entire donation process takes an average of 20 to 30 hours spread out over 4 to 6 weeks, excluding travel.
While bloodwork and medical appointments can usually be done locally, most donors do have to travel to one of the collection centers we partner with for donation. NMDP pays for all travel and donation-related costs, including things like childcare, pet boarding and lost wages. We’ll also pay for a friend or family member to travel with you to donation.
You’ll most likely be asked to donate peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC). 10% percent of donors, however, are asked to provide bone marrow; that procedure is detailed below. The patient's doctor chooses the donation method that’s best for the patient.
How do you donate bone marrow?
On the day of your donation, you’ll arrive early at a hospital that participates in marrow collections for NMDP. You’ll typically stay there through late afternoon, although some hospitals routinely plan for an overnight stay.
During bone marrow donation, you’ll be lying on your stomach. Doctors use needles to withdraw liquid marrow (where the body's blood-forming cells are made) from both sides of the back of your pelvic bone. You’ll be given anesthesia and feel no pain during the donation. After donation, your liquid marrow is transported to the patient's location for transplant.
About 96% of NMDP marrow donors receive general anesthesia, which means they’re completely unconscious during the donation. If you receive regional anesthesia (either spinal or epidural), medication will block sensation in the affected area, but you’ll remain aware of your surroundings. The average time under anesthesia is less than two hours. In either case, you won’t feel any pain during donation. Most donors, however, experience some side effects after.
The time it takes to recover varies and depends on the person and type of donation. Most donors return to work, school and other activities within 2 to 7 days after donation. NMDP considers donor safety a top priority and will follow up with you regularly until you’re able to resume normal activity. Find out more about what happens after you donate.
Bone marrow donation risks and side effects
We take all the necessary precautions to ensure your safety and well-being. However, no medical procedure is risk-free. Almost all bone marrow donors experience some side effects, but they resolve quickly, and very few donors have long-term or lingering health issues. A small percentage (just under 1%), however, experience a serious complication due to anesthesia or damage to bone, nerve or muscle in their hip region.
The risk of side effects of anesthesia during marrow donation is similar to that of other surgical procedures. Serious side effects of anesthesia are rare. Common side effects of general anesthesia include sore throat (caused by the breathing tube) or mild nausea and vomiting. Common side effects of regional anesthesia are a decrease in blood pressure and a headache after the procedure.
In addition to side effects from anesthesia, there are some mild side effects from the overall procedure that are reported shortly after donation. Those include:
Back or hip pain: 84%
Fatigue: 61%
Sore throat: 32%
Muscle pain: 24%
Temporary insomnia: 15%
Headache: 14%
Dizziness: 10%
Loss of appetite: 10%
Nausea: 9%
Most people who donate bone marrow can return to work, school and other activities within 2 to 7 days; the median time to full recovery is 20 days.
To learn more about how we support donor safety, see donor safety and support.
A donor's impact
An ordinary person with extraordinary compassion
Natalie seems like an ordinary person—going to work, enjoying her hobbies—yet one decision to become a blood stem donor not only helped another person but also changed the way she sees the world:
"Just knowing that impact and realizing you don’t know what’s going on in everyone’s life or what they’ve experienced—it was just really cool to kind of see the trickle effect when I did share it more broadly."
Ready to join the registry?
You could be the match that a patient needs. Join the donor registry today.