O Positive Blood Group

[Velvetee]

For years I wondered what blood group I am and only found out recently that I'm O Positive.

Is O Positive the most common blood group around?

[Velvetee]

Thanks everyone. I wonder what it all means.

[sqad617]

Velvetee... not sure what you mean by "what it all means"
ABO grouping is important in the following ways:
1) Safe blood transfusions.
2) Safe organ transplantation.
3)Paternity testing....is he my dad?
4)Certain diseases more popular in certain blood groups e.g stomach cancer more common in Group A
5)Medic-legal work..is theblood human..which part of the world etc etc.

Rhat is off the top of my head, I am sure that there are more.

[cazzz1975]

DNA is a better method of testing paternity

[Eve]

Blood can be a useful indicator though, it can point to potential disparities so to speak.

[tabytha]

my dad is an ab he's a rare one lol x

[beso]

Sqaud.

It isn't a matter of blood types "having antigens". The antigens are produced by the receipient's immune system in response to certain factors (probably proteins) designated A, B and Rh.

O blood doesn't have A or B factors so can be given to A, B or AB. A or B given to O will cause an immune reaction to the foreign proteins.

Rh negative doesn't have Rh factors so can be be given to either negative or positive.

Consequently O neg can be given to anyone because it has none of the factors. AB+ can receive any since all three factors are already present in their own blood.

[beso]

Incidentally the absence of Rh factor comes from people of the Basque region in Spain where about 75% are Rh negative.

It was probably introduced to Great Britain from sailors shipwrecked from the Spanish Armarda.

[Eve]

Giving blood facinates me. I always have to watch it going into the bag lol :)

I tried to donate platelets as well but don't have enough apparantly :(

[sqad617]

beso

Ah, got it now, and there was I thinking that the recipients immune response produced antibodies (isohaemaglutinins) to the antigens.

Karl Lansteiner (sqad)
Austria

Just a joke beso.

[sqad617]

sorry.......Landsteiner

[dot.hawkes]

on my eldest son's anti-natal card (from 28 years ago ) i am down as A Rh pos, what is that then?

[netibiza]

I'm o neg.

[pinkkitty]

I'm AB positive. i didn't know i was so rare. I can't give blood anyway as i keep getting tattooed.

[sqad617]

Dot....nothing sensational....perhaps the 2nd commonest blood group.....sorry.

[dot.hawkes]

yes I know that bit cos i read it up there ^^^ what i mean is why the RH bit?

[netibiza]

What is this "anti D" injection that neg mothers have to have after birth, I know it's to stop antibodies, but what is it??

[sqad617]

dot. just another blood "labeller" to go with ABO system, a protein found in red cells....approx 85% Rh pos and 15% rh neg.

netibiza.
To prevent rhesus negative women producing antibodies against their baby�s blood during pregnancy they can be given an injection with anti-D immunoglobulin. This treatment is called anti-D prophylaxis, and prevents the mother's immune reaction that could cause haemolytic disease of the newborn.

The above information is given in its simplisitc form.

[netibiza]

Thanks squad that's cleared up a lot for me!

[Supernick]

Forget the worthiness of doning, and think about the free drink and biscuits. I stung them for 4 bourbans, a Tuc cheese cracker and 3 cups of tropical fruit squash after last month's donation.