Medical guidelines for cellular therapy product donation (such as peripheral blood stem cells and bone marrow) include an assessment of body mass index (BMI), which is calculated from weight and height. There is not a minimum weight requirement. However, there are maximum BMI guidelines for donating marrow. These guidelines have been established to help ensure your safety as a donor.
If you are called to donate, you will complete a health screening and physical exam before moving forward with donation. BMI will to be looked at during that process, in combination with other safety factors, to protect donor health and determine donation eligibility.
To see the maximum weight (in pounds) for a given height (in feet and inches), please see the chart below. These guidelines are for peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation. Maximum weights for bone marrow donation are lower.
| Height and weight guidelines for donors identified as a possible match | |
| Height | Weight |
| 4'10" | 215 |
| 4'11" | 222 |
| 5'0" | 230 |
| 5'1" | 238 |
| 5'2" | 246 |
| 5'3" | 254 |
| 5'4" | 262 |
| 5'5" | 270 |
| 5'6" | 278 |
| 5'7" | 287 |
| 5'8" | 295 |
| 5'9" | 304 |
| 5'10" | 313 |
| 5'11" | 322 |
| 6'0" | 331 |
| 6'1" | 340 |
| 6'2" | 350 |
| 6'3" | 359 |
| 6'4" | 369 |
| 6'5" | 379 |
| 6'6" | 389 |
| 6'7" | 399 |
| 6'8" | 410 |
| 6'9" | 420 |
| 6'10" | 430 |