My college had a health fair today, and offered a free blood type analysis. As I was waiting for the results, the lady doing the test said if mine was O- she would strap me down and make me donate some! Sure enough, it was O-. Is this blood type rare? What makes it so special?

It is rare and I am also O-. No idea what makes it special. I know that when I got pregnant and they found out I was O- I had to get a special injection in my thigh.
Something about if my blood crossed into the baby would kill off the babies blood.

Most people have O+ and is very common. O- is not very common and is needed more so because there are fewer people donating that type today.

Me too. It makes me wonder if I should be banking it for any future problems.

Me too. It makes me wonder if I should be banking it for any future problems.

Hey that makes 3 of us now. Maybe it isn't so rare afterall. ;)

I'm O+ *phew*

It's very useful for blood transfusion as it is considered the "universal donor" meaning anyone can receive your blood and their body will not reject it. This is because it has no antigen on the surface of the red blood cells (O means neither A or B antigens, negative means no Rh antigen) so no immune system will attack it. Similarly, AB+ is the universal receiver.

I don't think it's that rare but it might be because the A, B and Rh alleles ("genes" if you want) are dominant over the absence of those antigen.

O+ here too ...W00T

What the 'healthiest' blood-type to have provided you will never need a transfusion ?

Can O- receivers use any other blood than O-?

Here I found an explanation of the shot I had to get because I was O-

Blood type, Rh factor, and antibody screening
At your first prenatal visit, your practitioner will check your blood to see whether it's type O, A, B, or AB, and whether it's Rh-negative.

If you're Rh-negative, you'll get a shot of Rh immunoglobulin at least once during your pregnancy, as well as after delivery if your baby turns out to be Rh-positive. This shot will protect you from developing antibodies that could be dangerous during this pregnancy or in future pregnancies. (Note: If your baby's father is also Rh-negative, your baby will be too, so you won't need the shot.)

It's the least common out the main four (A, B, AB, O). It's special because anyone can receive group O blood in an emergency.

In a medical emergency (a car crash, say) and you're losing blood:
If you have Group A Blood, you can receive group A and group O.
If you have Group B Blood, you can receive group B and group O.
If you have Group AB Blood, you can receive group AB and group O.
If you have Group O Blood, you can receive group O only.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_group#Plasma_compatibility

Here I found an explanation of the shot I had to get because I was O-

Blood type, Rh factor, and antibody screening
At your first prenatal visit, your practitioner will check your blood to see whether it's type O, A, B, or AB, and whether it's Rh-negative.

If you're Rh-negative, you'll get a shot of Rh immunoglobulin at least once during your pregnancy, as well as after delivery if your baby turns out to be Rh-positive. This shot will protect you from developing antibodies that could be dangerous during this pregnancy or in future pregnancies. (Note: If your baby's father is also Rh-negative, your baby will be too, so you won't need the shot.)

WOW!!! I dated a girl once who was O-. She said she didnt need to take birth control pills because of this, unless her BF was O-. which she assumed that I was not. Its good to know now that I am, but sad to know that she was more or less allowing herself to miscarry. She said she had miscarried many times before woth other guys. Luckily she never had that happen with me!

WOW!!! I dated a girl once who was O-. She said she didnt need to take birth control pills because of this, unless her BF was O-. which she assumed that I was not. Its good to know now that I am, but sad to know that she was more or less allowing herself to miscarry. She said she had miscarried many times before woth other guys. Luckily she never had that happen with me!

She sounds like an idiot and not very educated about pregnancy and birth control.

She sounds like an idiot and not very educated about pregnancy and birth control.

She was an idiot! And a psycho-bitch! Thats why I dumped her!

It's the least common out the main four (A, B, AB, O). It's special because anyone can receive group O blood in an emergency.

In a medical emergency (a car crash, say) and you're losing blood:
If you have Group A Blood, you can receive group A and group O.
If you have Group B Blood, you can receive group B and group O.
If you have Group AB Blood, you can receive group AB and group O.
If you have Group O Blood, you can receive group O only.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_group#Plasma_compatibility

So if you have O- blood you can only receive O- blood right?

Btw: Do any of you donate blood regularly?

So if you have O- blood you can only receive O- blood right?

Btw: Do any of you donate blood regularly?

My constant tattoo work prevents me form doing so.

So if you have O- blood you can only receive O- blood right?

Btw: Do any of you donate blood regularly?

There are two distinct aspects here
1. Rhesus factor
2. ABO blood groups


1. Rhesus factor:

Individuals either have the Rhesus factor (Rh+) or do not have it (RH-); the +/- denoted the presence or absence of the rhesus antogen on the surface of the red blood cells. The only way to develop antibodies to the rhesus antigen is through the transfer from the placenta.

It is rare and I am also O-. No idea what makes it special. I know that when I got pregnant and they found out I was O- I had to get a special injection in my thigh.
Something about if my blood crossed into the baby would kill off the babies blood.

If the mother is Rh negative, and has never been exposed to the Rh factor, she will have no antibodies to the Rh factor in her blood. BUT, if she is pregnant and the father of her baby is Rh positive, the child may be Rh positive. The mothers blood will be exposed through the placenta and will produce antibodies to the baby's blood, putting the fetus's blood at danger of attack by the mothers antibodies. This can cause what is known as hemolytic disease of the newborn, where the baby's red blood cells are broken down. If not checked, this can cause death of the fetus.

2. ABO group

The ABO group is explained by this chart.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/ABO_blood_type.svg/400px-ABO_blood_type.svg.png

The A and B are immunoglobulins of the IgM type. A person can have one antigen(A or B), both (AB) or none (O).

A person with type A blood has antibodies to type B antigen; when this person receives type B blood, there is an immune reaaction between the B type antigen from the donor and b antibodies in the recipient. This causes agglutination (clumping together) of red blood cells and can be fatal.

Similarly, type B individals have antibodies to A antigen; AB individuals have no antibodies and type O individuals have antibodies to both A and B antigens.

Hence type AB can theoretically receive blood from A, B, AB or O and are called universal recipients.

Type O individuals have antibodies to both A and B and cannot receive blood from anyone except type O. However as they lack A and B antigens they can give blood to anyone and are called universal donors.

Generally, the A and B antibodies do not cross the placenta so blood incompatibility due to ABO is rare (in rare cases, IgG type antibodies are made which can cross the placenta, so we cannot completely rule it out).

You have to take into account both the Rh factor and the ABO blood group for blood donation.

My constant tattoo work prevents me form doing so.

I never even thought of that. If you are all done with them, can you donate blood? Do you have to wait a certain period after you have had work done?

So if you have O- blood you can only receive O- blood right?

Btw: Do any of you donate blood regularly?

I never have, but I am considering doing it now that I know my type is in such high demand.

I never even thought of that. If you are all done with them, can you donate blood? Do you have to wait a certain period after you have had work done?

I think its 6 months to a year :D

If you are O negative, it may be advisable to periodically collect and store some blood for yourself. Its very hard to get in emergencies.

They do it in many hospitals though you have to pay for the storage.

Also it may be helpful for your kids etc if they share your blood type.

I have only donated blood 2 times in my life. I used to be terrified of blood tests.
When I was quite young (maybe 6-7) I had to have one and I was moving around so much the needle broke in my arm. I never had another one until I got pregnant and HAD to have them done. I was so nervous for the whole week of my appt. After I had it done I couldn't beleive how I was stressing over it. It was nothing! Now it doesn't bother me at all. I guess having O- blood I should try and donate some.

If you are O negative, it may be advisable to periodically collect and store some blood for yourself. Its very hard to get in emergencies.

They do it in many hospitals though you have to pay for the storage.

Also it may be helpful for your kids etc if they share your blood type.

To be honest I am not really sure what their blood types are. They have never had blood taken, unless it was after they were born. If it was I don't
remember. I guess if one or both is O- I will be giving them blood.

The reason I dont donate blood is I see it like this:

If part of me is going to be inside of someone I sure as hell want to be aware of it, and I want to know who they are.

:D:cool:

The reason I dont donate blood is I see it like this:

If part of me is going to be inside of someone I sure as hell want to be aware of it, and I want to know who they are.

:D:cool:

Well I used to think the opposite way, after that whole tainted blood thing came out yrs ago. Remember all those ppl that contracted HIV from the donated blood.
That is pretty scary!

To be honest I am not really sure what their blood types are. They have never had blood taken, unless it was after they were born. If it was I don't
remember.

The test is very simple

There is a glass slide kind of a thing with the A and B antigens fixed on them. They put a drop of blood on each and watch to see if the plasma separates out from the red blood cells (clumping). If the A antigen gets clumpy, the person is Type B , if the B antigen gets clumpy, the person is type A, if both the person is type O if none the person is type AB. There is also an anti-Rh on the same slide and if it does not get clumpy, the person is Rh negative

Here is a slide of blood group O positive
Neither A nor B are clumpy (agglutinated) but the anti-Rh is.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3a/RhO%2B.jpg


Here is a B negative
The A is agglutinated, but the B and anti-Rh are not

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/ff/RhB-.JPG


Its a 1 minute test and can be done in any hospital lab

Ok this is way out there. I have no idea why this thought crossed my mind, but I will just say it outloud now. I know it sounds stupid!

What would happen if you took your own blood and stored it in your own deep freezer would it be any good?

To be honest I am not really sure what their blood types are. They have never had blood taken, unless it was after they were born. If it was I don't
remember. I guess if one or both is O- I will be giving them blood.

You can give them blood no matter what their blood group is, universal donor, remember. But it may be good to know for your sake.

You can only receive from another O negative. :)

Ok this is way out there. I have no idea why this thought crossed my mind, but I will just say it outloud now. lol

What would happen if you took your own blood and stored it in your own deep freezer would it be any good?

Its not "way out there". Its what I said in my earlier post.

For an O negative it makes sense to store your own blood because in case of sudden emergency (God forbid), its rare and hard to find. Plus you can't get a lot unless you find many people who are willing to donate. Its a good idea to collect your own, you can use it for yourself or as a universal donor for any one you choose. But not at home :eek: You have it store it in a blood bank under standard conditions.

In fact, I recommend anyone who is going for surgery and knows it in advance to collect their own blood, not only its the best, but it saves time and you don't have to worry about diseases.

Ok this is way out there. I have no idea why this thought crossed my mind, but I will just say it outloud now. I know it sounds stupid!

What would happen if you took your own blood and stored it in your own deep freezer would it be any good?

Good question!!! And to add to it, how long does blood stay good at a blood bank? What temp must it be stored at?

Good question!!! And to add to it, how long does blood stay good at a blood bank? What temp must it be stored at?

Sorry, I worked in a hospital and a lab so thats the limit of my knowledge. :D

But I'm sure any blood bank would be happy to share the info.

Anyway, if you give blood it will be used for somebody, it will not go to waste.

I just found an article about donating and using your own blood for surgeries or whatever.


Charles Langer is one of a growing number of people giving blood, to himself. When preparing for hip replacement surgery, he began storing his own blood to be used during the operation."I suppose it's just because I feel more comfortable knowing it's my own blood. There's always the element of doubt."

It's also expensive. It costs about $300 a unit, but officials say it's a critical component of the new agency.

In the end Charles Langer wound up receiving two units of his own blood. He says if he hadn't been able to pre-donate, he would have had the surgery anyway. But this way he feels much more comfortable.

Full article:

http://origin.www.cbc.ca/health/story/1999/01/24/blood990124.html


$300.00 that's pricey. Anyone know how much 1 unit of blood is?

It costs about $300 a unit, but officials say it's a critical component of the new agency.

Thats ridiculous!!! :bugeye:

Thats ridiculous!!! :bugeye:

I agree.. Anyone know how much blood 1 unit actually is?
For 300.00 it better be a few litres lol

I agree.. Anyone know how much blood 1 unit actually is?
For 300.00 it better be a few litres lol

Average transfusion is 2.7 pints of whole blood; 10 pints is all the blood you have in your body.

One unit equals one pint.

The one unit can be separated into red blood cells, platelets and plazma.

You can donate every 56 days, average donation by most regular donors is 2 times a year.
(if they donated 3 times a year there would be no blood shortage)

42 days: how long most donated red blood cells can be stored.

Five days: how long most donated platelets can be stored.

One year: how long frozen plasma can be stored.

Source (http://www.bloodcenters.org/aboutblood/bloodfacts.htm)

I haven't a clue what blood type I am, should I care?

I do know I am thalassemia minor which has provided me an excuse for not donating blood.

I think banking umbilical cord blood is a good idea, depending on what they charge you for storage. I never really heard much about that when I had my kids. If they can use something that is going to get thrown away that has so many benefits I think it's great.

I haven't a clue what blood type I am, should I care?

I do know I am thalassemia minor which has provided me an excuse for not donating blood.

What is thalassemia?

What is thalassemia?

Look it up Thompson.

Which do you have, alpha beta or delta?

its Beta, Hunter.

Look it up Thompson.

If you introduce the concept would it be too much to provide an explanation?

If you introduce the concept would it be too much to provide an explanation?

Chill, she's just encouraging me to educate myself!

U.S. Blood-type Distribution
O+
38 percent of population
A+
34 percent of population
B+
9 percent of population
O-
7 percent of population
A-
6 percent of population
AB+
3 percent of population
B-
2 percent of population
AB-
1 percent of population


ABO and Rh blood type distribution by nation (averages for each population) Country O+ A+ B+ AB+ O− A− B− AB−
Austria[13] 30% 33% 12% 6% 7% 8% 3% 1%
Australia[14] 40% 31% 8% 2% 9% 7% 2% 1%
Belgium[15] 38.1% 34% 8.5% 4.1% 7% 6% 1.5% 0.8%
Canada[16] 39% 36% 7.6% 2.5% 7% 7% 1.4% 0.5%
Denmark[17] 35% 37% 8% 4% 6% 7% 2% 1%
Finland[18] 27% 38% 15% 7% 4% 6% 2% 1%
France[19] 36% 37% 9% 3% 6% 7% 1% 1%
Germany[20] 35% 37% 9% 4% 6% 6% 2% 1%
Hong Kong, China[21] 40% 26% 27% 7% <0.3% <0.3% <0.3% <0.3%
Ireland[22] 47% 26% 9% 2% 8% 5% 2% 1%
Korea, South[23] 27.4% 34.4% 26.8% 11.2% 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.05%
Netherlands[24] 39.5% 35% 6.7% 2.5% 7.5% 7% 1.3% 0.5%
New Zealand[25] 38% 32% 9% 3% 9% 6% 2% 1%
Poland[26] 31% 32% 15% 7% 6% 6% 2% 1%
Sweden[27] 32% 37% 10% 5% 6% 7% 2% 1%
UK[28] 37% 35% 8% 3% 7% 7% 2% 1%
USA[29] 37.4% 35.7% 8.5% 3.4% 6.6% 6.3% 1.5% 0.6%

http://health.howstuffworks.com/question593.htm

http://www.bloodbook.com/world-abo.html

Maybe someone here can answer a question of mine:

I have been a fairly regular blood donor all my life, until recent years when it was no longer possible to do so anonymously (it used to be easier to lie). I am O+.

The reason I don't want to go on file is because of the screening tests for the blood. I have essentially no risk factors for hepatitis, HIV, etc, but I do risk false positive results on the screening tests if they are on some kind of permanent file that I cannot correct (which they would be).

As someone with erratic health insurance coverage in the US, I cannot afford to turn up on file with a "pre-existing condition" of that kind. I would never be able to change jobs again.

I still donate, occasionally, but with reluctance.

Now the question: what are the lifetime odds of a false positive on one of the screens, for someone donating blood two or three times year for, say, forty years ?

I have not been able to get a straight answer from anyone in the Red Cross, literature searches (I got curious about it) have turned up only a pile of the basic data that someone with better statistical training than I have might be able to get a guesstimate out of, etc.

{ Random factoids encountered:

old blood - yours that you store for yourself included - probably does not work as well as freshly donated blood. Higher rates of clotting and other surgical complications are associated with longer storage times for transfused blood

and blood donation is probably good for you, the donor, if you are male and older than about 30 and not anemic or vegetarian. It's probably been a while since you bled seriously, true? Your body is set up to bleed on occasion - it's like losing a bit of weight, eating rough food for a while, swimming in cold water - invigorating.

Thanks, Ice. Helpful stuff.

When are we just going to manufacture human blood in hybridized or xenotransplatable pigs? Just have a pharm behind the hospital, when they need blood just drain it out of the donor pig.

Now the question: what are the lifetime odds of a false positive on one of the screens, for someone donating blood two or three times year for, say, forty years ?

I have not been able to get a straight answer from anyone in the Red Cross, literature searches (I got curious about it) have turned up only a pile of the basic data that someone with better statistical training than I have might be able to get a guesstimate out of, etc.


Well, the false-positive rate depends quite a bit on the method they use, your condition and sometimes even something as mundane as misinterpretation. In
this study:Kleinman S, Busch MP, Hall L, Thomson R, Glynn S, Gallahan D, Ownby HE, Williams AE.1998: False-positive HIV-1 test results in a low-risk screening setting of voluntary blood donation. Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study.
I found an average value of 0.0004% false positives. So if you got tested altogether 120 times your cumulative chance would be 0.048%.

Are certain blood types strictly Europen? I mean were all blood types in Africa, Asia, and the Americas before the Europeans settled there?

I'm A+

A+ here too. :D

I found an average value of 0.0004% false positives. So if you got tested altogether 120 times your cumulative chance would be 0.048%. I got that far. The nagging worries I'm having come from

1) underreporting of false positives in the real world situations

2) the use by the Red Cross and other blood screeners of increasingly more conservative tests and criteria (with higher false positive rates than "average") because their primary responsibility is protection of the blood supply rather than accurate diagnosis

3) That's just one of the screens, and possibly one with a lower false positive rate (the consequences of false positive reports to the donor being fairly dramatic, in potential). There are even occasional batches of research screens - I recall one of my donations was going to be checked for well over a dozen disease-related features

4) It's hard to tell if all these screens are independent of each other, of donor characteristics, of site and circumstance of donation, etc.

It's not that I need some kind of precise, tits on, customized risk assessment - just a ballpark evaluation so I can sort of weigh the chances I'm taking here (along with the "nerve damage through bad needle insertion" risk, the "getting hit by a car in the parking lot while light-headed" risk, the "tooth decay through excessive indulgence in Lorna Doone shortbreads at the recovery table risk" and so forth)

Once they started keeping the kinds of records they keep, the system was set up to allow carelessness with my life.

Are certain blood types strictly Europen? I mean were all blood types in Africa, Asia, and the Americas before the Europeans settled there?

I'm A+

The answer is no. Some races are more likely to have some blood types than others. Please see my previous post and url to sites that give blood types by races.

Btw: Do any of you donate blood regularly?

Used to, I've given about 15 pints, but have lapsed recently. I keep meaning to go back and donate again, I've no excuse, I'm fit and healthy and suffer no side effects.

I started giving blood for two reasons, first the obvious, community spirit and saving lives, but more importantly, saving mine; one of the major causes of death in accidents is going into shock after blood loss. If you can condition yourself to blood loss via blood donation, you are less likely to go into shock if you lose a bit more. Personally, I used to get a nice 'ahhhh' feeling when I donated, as my BP lowered a little, but that stopped, and by the end, I didn't feel any different.

There are also valuable psychological reasons to give blood. If you have ever injured yourself and lost blood (what can I say, I'm active, adventurous and well, unlucky!) you'll know a little goes a long way when it comes to staining clothes, and mixed with sweat, you'd swear you were on the verge of death after losing far less than a pint. If you know you can lose a pint and not suffer, and realise how far a pint would go (just pour a pint of milk over yourself (not water, you need something opaque to get the full effect!) and see what a mess you'd look if it were blood, and understand that while looking pretty awful, you are in no immediate danger, you can concentrate on other things, like preventing further loss and getting to safety.

PS, I'm AB+ quite rare!

The answer is no. Some races are more likely to have some blood types than others. Please see my previous post and url to sites that give blood types by races.


Mr Pistole, is it true that dwarfs all have type O blood?

Mr Pistole, is it true that dwarfs all have type O blood?

Hey I am not quite a dwarf :p

That is good you donated blood. I have to get on that, esp since my blood is needed so badly.

Don't know what my type is... hum...

Hey I am not quite a dwarf :p

If I understand it right the genetic markers that have to be passed on to give someone achondroplasia also imply inheriting type O blood, ... but I might not be remembering it correctly. All I really remember from biology is that all tortoiseshell cats are female!

The answer is no. Some races are more likely to have some blood types than others. Please see my previous post and url to sites that give blood types by races.


yeah, that's how it is now. How was it before Europeans went everywhere?:confused: For example, were there any B- people here in America before Europeans landed?