Blood Type Basics

Finding Your Blood Type

• You can find out your blood type after your first blood donation.

Blood Types and Their Frequencies

• There are eight main blood types, with frequencies: • O positive: 35% • O negative: 13% • A positive: 30% • A negative: 8% • B positive: 8% • B negative: 2% • AB positive: 2% • AB negative: 1%

Blood Type Compatibility

• You can receive blood from a donor with the same blood type as you.
• You can also receive blood from a donor with a compatible blood type.
• O negative blood is the universal blood type, safe for everyone to receive.

Inheritance of Blood Type

• Your blood group is inherited from genes passed on by your parents.
• The ABO group system gives the letter part of your blood type.
• The R h system gives the positive or negative part of your blood type.

ABO Group System

• There are four main blood groups in the ABO group system.
• E ach group is important, and we need donors from every group.
• Your blood group depends on the antigens and antibodies in your blood.

Antigens and Antibodies

• Antigens are a combination of sugars and proteins that coat the surface of a red blood cell.
• Antibodies are important in transfusion as they are the body's natural defense system.
• Giving someone blood from the wrong ABO group can be life-threatening.

Blood Groups

• Blood group O: no antigens, with anti-A and anti-B antibodies.
• Blood group A: A antigens, with anti-B antibodies.
• Blood group B: B antigens, with anti-A antibodies.
• Blood group AB: A and B antigens, with no antibodies.

Positive or Negative Blood

• The D antigen in the R h system determines whether you have positive or negative blood.
• If you have the R h D antigen, your blood type is positive; if you lack it, your blood type is negative.