# Menstrual transfusion **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 3, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstrual-transfusion/451641 "2008-06-03T16:01:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstrual-transfusion/451641/1 "2008-06-03T16:01:26Z")
At the risk of taahiofing, I was wondering the other day what would happen if a unit of menstrual blood was transfused into a human being. Nothing good, I expect. It’s not all blood, and it’s likely dead, or close too it. Any less WAGish medical opinions? ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstrual-transfusion/451641/2 "2008-06-03T16:57:41Z")
[QUOTE=The Sonoran Lizard King] taahiofing [/QUOTE] Wha? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstrual-transfusion/451641/3 "2008-06-03T17:47:56Z")
Not only is it not all blood, but it’s mostly not blood. You’d be filling a person with ischemic endometrium breakdown products, which would not be a good idea. Allergic reactions, thromboses, and other bad things would happen. ---
**Author:** ![erleichda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4da419/32.png) [@erleichda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erleichda)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstrual-transfusion/451641/4 "2008-06-03T19:16:23Z")
:eek: What in the world made you think of such a thing, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstrual-transfusion/451641/5 "2008-06-03T19:57:36Z")
_Not_ menstrual, but autotransfusion is done. > **[Autotransfusion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autotransfusion)** > > Autotransfusion is a process wherein a person receives their own blood for a transfusion, instead of banked allogenic (separate-donor) blood. There are two main kinds of autotransfusion: Blood can be autologously "pre-donated" (termed so despite "donation" not typically referring to giving to one's self) before a surgery, or alternatively, it can be collected during and after the surgery using an intraoperative blood salvage device (such as a Cell Saver, HemoClear or CATS). The latter form of aut... ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstrual-transfusion/451641/6 "2008-06-03T19:59:14Z")
BTW, > [@](#): > > Your search - taahiofing - did not match any documents. ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstrual-transfusion/451641/7 "2008-06-03T20:01:32Z")
[QUOTE=HeyHomie] Wha? [/QUOTE] It’s a reference to a Doper who has a reputation for very odd or even inflamatory OPs. **QtM** , thank you. You’re the Maven of menses. **Erlichda** , I dunno. I have odd musings all the time. Only a few are OP worthy, IMHO. This one bounced around a couple of days before I posted it. Not constantly, or even often. Just curious enough to remind me I didn’t know, like. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstrual-transfusion/451641/8 "2008-06-03T20:08:27Z")
One company offers a menstrual blood bank, for preservation of stem cells found in menstrual blood. **h** ttp://www.celle.com/index.aspx (link broker because after 30 seconds or so, the site starts talking) But see, [BBC NEWS | Health | Concern over menstrual blood bank](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7086548.stm) (scientists scoff). ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstrual-transfusion/451641/9 "2008-06-03T20:15:38Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] BTW, [/QUOTE] Well, it wouldn’t. I just coined the phrase. and further deponant sayeth not. ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstrual-transfusion/451641/10 "2008-06-03T20:19:37Z")
[QUOTE=Gfactor] One company offers a menstrual blood bank, [/QUOTE] Sounds like they’re just trying to pad their coffers. I hope the authorities soon notice this practice and tamp on it. OK, that was very bad, don’t rag on me about it. ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstrual-transfusion/451641/11 "2008-06-03T20:22:47Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] _Not_ menstrual, but autotransfusion is done. > **[Autotransfusion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autotransfusion)** > > Autotransfusion is a process wherein a person receives their own blood for a transfusion, instead of banked allogeneic (separate-donor) blood. There are two main kinds of autotransfusion: Blood can be autologously "pre-donated" (termed so despite "donation" not typically referring to giving to oneself) before a surgery, or alternatively, it can be collected during and after the surgery using an intraoperative blood salvage device (such as a Cell Saver, HemoClear or CATS). The latter form of autot... [/QUOTE] Your own blood is OK for you, sure. Good idea. But ‘autotransfusion’ makes me think of some desperate field expedient to siphon over some oil in a full crankcase to one that’s dry and grinding.