Blood Type Knowledge
In medicine, blood types are generally divided into six types: AA, OA, BB, OB, AB, and O. Type AA and OA are collectively referred to as type A, and type BB and OB are also collectively referred to as type B.
The ABO blood group system is the most important blood group system in human blood transfusion. The ABO blood group system was discovered by Karl Landsteiner, an Austrian-American immunologist and pathologist, in 1901. He won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1930 for this discovery.
The blood type of a child is a new blood type formed by mixing a part of the father's blood type (A, B, or O) with a part of the mother's blood type (A, B, or O). This new blood type is the child's blood type, so the child's blood type is related to the parent's blood type.
How Blood Types Are Inherited
Blood types are inherited genetically from our parents. Each parent contributes one of two ABO genes to their child. The A and B genes are dominant, and the O gene is recessive. This means:
- If you have A and O genes, you will be type A (because A is dominant)
- If you have B and O genes, you will be type B (because B is dominant)
- If you have A and B genes, you will be type AB
- If you have O and O genes, you will be type O (because O is recessive)
Relationship between children's blood type and parents' blood type
| Parental blood type |
Child's possible blood type |
Child's impossible blood type |
| A × A |
A, O |
B, AB |
| A × B |
A, B, AB, O |
- |
| A × AB |
A, B, AB |
O |
| A × O |
A, O |
B, AB |
| B × B |
B, O |
A, AB |
| B × AB |
A, B, AB |
O |
| B × O |
B, O |
A, AB |
| AB × AB |
A, B, AB |
O |
| AB × O |
A, B |
AB, O |
| O × O |
O |
A, B, AB |
Importance of Blood Types
Understanding blood types is crucial for several reasons:
- Blood Transfusions: Receiving the wrong blood type can cause serious, potentially fatal reactions
- Pregnancy: Rh incompatibility between mother and baby can cause health problems
- Medical Procedures: Knowing your blood type is important for surgeries and other medical procedures
- Organ Transplants: Blood type compatibility is essential for successful organ transplants
Rh Factor
In addition to the ABO system, there's another important blood group system called the Rh system. People are either Rh positive (+) or Rh negative (-). This factor is particularly important during pregnancy, as Rh incompatibility between mother and child can lead to complications.
Universal Donors and Recipients
- Universal Donor: Type O negative blood can be given to anyone (universal donor)
- Universal Recipient: Type AB positive blood can receive blood from anyone (universal recipient)
Understanding blood types helps ensure safe medical procedures and can even save lives.