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?
blood type O- What this means?
- Thread starter skaught
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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.
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.
globenstein
Registered Senior Member
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.
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
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.)
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
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
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 was an idiot! And a psycho-bitch! Thats why I dumped her!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 never have, but I am considering doing it now that I know my type is in such high demand.