- Healthy living is a life style and knowledge is key. With this in mind, we wanted to explain the different blood types and who you can donate to.
- Although our blood is made from the same elements, there are eight different blood types, which are distinguished by the presence of substances called antigens, which activates immune responses if they are foreign to the body.
- Some antigens can attack transfused blood, so it is crucial to consult a health practitioner or qualified expert for safe blood transfusion, blood typing, and cross matching.
- There are four groups of blood, which are identified by the presence or absence of two antigens on the surface of red blood cells called A and B.
- Group A: Has only the A antigen on red blood cells (B antibody in plasma)
- Group B: Has only the B antigen on red blood cells (A antibody in plasma)
- Group AB: Has A and B antigens on red blood cells (neither A nor B antibodies in plasma)
- Group O: Neither A nor B antigens on red blood cells (both A and B antibodies in plasma).
- Group O+ can donate blood to O+, A+, B+, AB+
- Group A+ can donate to A+ and AB+.
- Group B+ can donate to B+ and AB+.
- Group AB+ can donate to other AB+ and can receive blood from all groups.
- Same goes for negative groups:
- Group O- can donate blood to everyone.
Group A- can donate to A+, A-, AB+, AB-.
Group B- can donate to B+, B-, AB+ and AB-.
Group AB- can donate to other AB+ and AB-.
- As you can see, type AB is considered the universal recipient blood type. Type AB individuals can receive all blood types (and is the only blood type that can accept type AB blood).
- Let’s look at this handy chart to help differentiate blood types.
