Mega Doctor News
Rio Grande Valley, Texas – Childbirth complications require blood transfusions for every 1 in 83 deliveries, often at a moment’s notice. Together with nonprofit Vitalant, three women touched by this need are calling for blood donors to support all patients, including women who need blood when bringing new life into the world.
Mom’s Life Saved Twice
Kristin Belmonte has experienced two separate childbirth complications, requiring a combined total of 42 units of blood. Kate McMeekin was a nurse familiar with blood transfusions before needing one herself when her second child was born. As a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Dr. Vy Rossi has seen a growing number of patients needing blood.
“From what I’m told, I was bleeding out faster than they could put it in, and I ended up needing 26 units of blood that day,” Belmonte said about her first need for blood due to an amniotic fluid embolism, when amniotic fluid gets into the mother’s bloodstream.
Giving Back Is Therapeutic
“I’ve given patients as much as 50 units of blood, and that’s what pushed me to do this,” Dr. Rossi said. “Running a blood drive and donating at a blood drive can be so therapeutic for both the person who receives the blood and also the providers that delivered the blood.”
McMeekin experienced placenta accreta, a condition that can cause severe blood loss after delivery.
“I needed only two units (of blood), but I have many friends who needed much more,” McMeekin said. “I knew giving back by donating blood myself but also encouraging others to donate for pregnancy complications was going to be part of my mission.”
A Shared Mission: Donate for Mothers
Belmonte works at Vitalant and hosts an annual blood drive on her personal time.
“We wanted to see how we could take all we were doing individually and make it bigger and something more meaningful and that’s where Donate for Mothers was born,” Belmonte said. “Maternal advocacy is something that I take a lot of pride in and I spend a lot of time doing. The goal is I want to make sure there is always blood donors there is always an adequate blood supply so the blood is always there when these things happen.”
Since first connecting through Vitalant in 2020, they’ve continued to expand their network of women’s health advocacy groups and the medical community to support blood donation through donating blood, hosting blood drives and raising awareness.
“Because that’s all we want is to take care of women well,” Dr. Rossi said. “Everybody has a connection, whether it’s your mother, your sister, your daughter, your best friend, your partner.”
Eligible Blood Donors Needed
Healthy, eligible donors are needed every day to make sure blood is readily available for patients for every type of need including trauma, surgeries, cancer, blood disorders and more. Make an appointment and learn all the ways to support the cause at vitalant.org, download and use the Vitalant blood donor app or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).
About Vitalant
Vitalant (Vye-TAL-ent) is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit blood and biotherapies healthcare organizations, providing hospitals and patients across the U.S. a safe blood supply, specialized laboratory services, transfusion medicine expertise and world-renowned research. Individuals generously donating blood, volunteering and giving financially are essential to our lifesaving mission. Learn more at vitalant.org.
