A 6-8 pound baby cannot lose more than _____ mL of blood at any given time.

A 6-8 pound baby cannot lose more than _____ mL of blood at any given time.

• A. 2.0 mL
• B. 1.5 mL
• C. 3.0 mL
• D. 2.5 mL

Answer: (D)

In pediatric phlebotomy, the amount of blood you can draw at one time is limited to about 1% of the infant’s total blood volume. For a baby weighing 6–8 pounds (roughly 2.7–3.6 kg), the total blood volume is about 230–270 mL (roughly 85 mL per kg). One percent of that is around 2.3–2.7 mL, which rounds to 2.5 mL. So the safe maximum for a single draw is about 2.5 mL. That’s why 2.5 mL is the best answer: it reflects the one-percent rule for this weight range and protects against hypovolemia. Draws larger than this (for example, around 3.0 mL) could exceed the safe limit for a baby of this size, while smaller amounts like 2.0 mL are safe but not the maximum allowed. If more blood is needed, collect in smaller amounts over multiple draws.

In pediatric phlebotomy, the amount of blood you can draw at one time is limited to about 1% of the infant’s total blood volume. For a baby weighing 6–8 pounds (roughly 2.7–3.6 kg), the total blood volume is about 230–270 mL (roughly 85 mL per kg). One percent of that is around 2.3–2.7 mL, which rounds to 2.5 mL. So the safe maximum for a single draw is about 2.5 mL.

That’s why 2.5 mL is the best answer: it reflects the one-percent rule for this weight range and protects against hypovolemia. Draws larger than this (for example, around 3.0 mL) could exceed the safe limit for a baby of this size, while smaller amounts like 2.0 mL are safe but not the maximum allowed. If more blood is needed, collect in smaller amounts over multiple draws.