Only about 28% of the blood donations received by Magen David Adom are from women, according to statistics released by MDA for international Women's Day. Less than 70,000 out of the 245,000 blood donors in 2007 were women. In 2006, women were only 27% of the donor population.
According to Prof. Ayelet Shenar, who manages MDA's Blood Services, called the statistic "disappointing" and suggested it had something to do with ingrained social stereotypes. "We need to stop thinking that blood donation is a macho thing," she explained. "We are at least as strong as men and must take the matter of blood donations upon ourselves."
Shenar also speculated that the fact that women's hemoglobin levels drop after menstruation and during pregnancy could be a reason for their lack of enthusiasm to donate blood.