Are transfusions harmful to men if the blood comes from women who have been pregnant?
Statistical red flags undermine a study that questions the safety of men receiving blood transfusions from women who have been pregnant.
Gut Check is a periodic look at health claims. We ask: Should you believe this?
The claim:
Men who received a blood transfusion from a woman who had ever been pregnant had a higher risk of dying prematurely than men who got blood from a man or a never-pregnant woman, scientists reported on Tuesday.
Tell me more:
Bizarre as this seems, researchers have seen hints of a “mother effect” on blood transfusions before. Half a dozen studies have found that recipients were more likely to die did not.
