I was in a life-threatening situation, and was hemorrhaging for hours. The doctors gave me clotting meds via IV, and the last resort was a blood transfusion. This is how blood transfusions are approached in Canadian medicine. In the 60s, and maybe the 70s, blood transfusions were routinely given, as a part of surgery. That practice stopped long ago. After AIDS came on the scene, in the mid-1980s, blood transfusions were viewed completely differently by the medical profession. Of course, I would discuss any procedure with my doctor beforehand, but I would assume that generally, a blood transfusion would not be given unless it is medically necessary.
Edited to say: I did not have a transfusion. They kept me going until a surgery could be scheduled, and no blood required. It's a priority for medical professionals, to avoid giving a transfusion. For crying out loud, that's why we have blood drives. There are shortages for people who *need* blood.