An estimated who give birth need a life-saving blood transfusion following delivery. Based on the most recent , that's more than 100,000 moms each year. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, blood donations plummeted to historic lows. Thousands of were canceled in the U.S. in the first months of the pandemic, resulting in a loss of more than 130,000 donations. That's especially true for Millennial and Gen Z donors. A Â analyzing the world's blood supply showed that out of 180 countries, 107 had insufficient blood to meet their need. Each blood donation can save up to three lives. Here's the story of Deanna Cardone, a mother whose life was saved by blood transfusion:
I'm a planner. By 10 years old, I knew I wanted to wait to get married at 26 — after I had time to establish my career — and then have two kids by 35. I managed to follow this plan: Graduating from college, landing a good job, getting married at 25 (close!), earning my master's and so on.
Struggling to have children was not part of the plan. How was I going to have two before I turned 35?
When we finally got pregnant, we went for an ultrasound. The technician peered at me with a strange look. Was something was wrong?
"Is there a heartbeat?" I asked.
There were two.Â
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