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Does Anybody Else Not Know Their Blood Group?

I am B+ getting knocked up revealed this info. Although I don't recommend getting knocked up just to find out. Giving birth really really hurts. A lot.
 
Brunneria said:
Both my parents were blood donors, so both knew their blood type. Mum is O+ and Dad is O- so, by the laws of genetics, I must be O+

- never been told it officially, though.
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You are right that if both your parents are blood group O then you must also be blood group O. However, some people who are (rhesus D) positive are able to pass on a gene for being (rhesus D) negative in which case they can have (rhesus D) negative children with a (rhesus D) negative partner.

The reason for this is that we have 2 genes for each blood group, one inherited from our mothers and one inherited from our fathers. The O gene is recessive so if someone is blood group O they must have a OO genotype and can only pass on O genes. The rhesus D negative gene is also recessive so if someone is rhesus negative, they must have a D-D- (also written as dd ) genotype and can only pass on D- (or d) genes. In contrast, rhesus D positive genes are dominant so someone who is rhesus D positive could either have a D+D+ (DD) genotype or a D+D- (or Dd) genotype. If someone has the latter genotyp they have a 50:50 chance of passing on the rhesus D negative gene even though their blood group is rhesus D positive.

Sorry for the long-winded explanation but basically you could be O- even with an O+ parent, depending on whether that parent has one or two genes for being positive.
 
KevinPotts said:
That's so true about mothers. Yvonne's is A Resus Negative, do quite rare and needed to know that when we had the children because of anti bodies I believe:)

Might think about getting a private test and putting it on my iphone's home screen with my T2 stuff ;)


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I wouldn't worry about getting your blood group done. If you ever need a transfusion, the blood bank will not just test your blood group, they will also need to cross-match your blood against the intended donor blood. There are all sorts of funny antibody reactions that can go on so even if the donor blood is the same group as you, it may be likely to cause a transfusion reaction so would be unsuitable.
 
Dark Horse said:
I wouldn't worry about getting your blood group done. If you ever need a transfusion, the blood bank will not just test your blood group, they will also need to cross-match your blood against the intended donor blood. There are all sorts of funny antibody reactions that can go on so even if the donor blood is the same group as you, it may be likely to cause a transfusion reaction so would be unsuitable.
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Ahhhh ok interesting.

I've ordered the test now, so might as well do it, but I appreciate your reply.

Thanks :)


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Dark Horse said:
You are right that if both your parents are blood group O then you must also be blood group O. However, some people who are (rhesus D) positive are able to pass on a gene for being (rhesus D) negative in which case they can have (rhesus D) negative children with a (rhesus D) negative partner.

The reason for this is that we have 2 genes for each blood group, one inherited from our mothers and one inherited from our fathers. The O gene is recessive so if someone is blood group O they must have a OO genotype and can only pass on O genes. The rhesus D negative gene is also recessive so if someone is rhesus negative, they must have a D-D- (also written as dd ) genotype and can only pass on D- (or d) genes. In contrast, rhesus D positive genes are dominant so someone who is rhesus D positive could either have a D+D+ (DD) genotype or a D+D- (or Dd) genotype. If someone has the latter genotyp they have a 50:50 chance of passing on the rhesus D negative gene even though their blood group is rhesus D positive.

Sorry for the long-winded explanation but basically you could be O- even with an O+ parent, depending on whether that parent has one or two genes for being positive.
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Wow! Thanks for that. I have had my dad teasing me for nearly 50 years that I will have got the common or garden positive instead of his elite negative (yes, that is the kind of thing we joke about over Sunday dinner). Haha!

We will now revisit that assumption. Haha!
 
This thread has got me curious about what possibilities there are for donating blood or bone marrow in the UK.

Those who register as donors will get their blood type determined. I joined the marrow donor program in the U.S. and they usually charge you a fee to join, but I got exempted for being of mixed race.

Now I read that there's a British Bone Marrow Registry. (Only young persons are accepted at this time.) On the other hand, a newspaper reported last year that Britain quit using plasma from Britons in 2002, due to CJD. Does that mean that donation of whole blood or plasma in Britain is a thing of the past? Then why does NHS accept British bone marrow?
 
sud5nala said:
This thread has got me curious about what possibilities there are for donating blood or bone marrow in the UK.

Those who register as donors will get their blood type determined. I joined the marrow donor program in the U.S. and they usually charge you a fee to join, but I got exempted for being of mixed race.

Now I read that there's a British Bone Marrow Registry. (Only young persons are accepted at this time.) On the other hand, a newspaper reported last year that Britain quit using plasma from Britons in 2002, due to CJD. Does that mean that donation of whole blood or plasma in Britain is a thing of the past? Then why does NHS accept British bone marrow?
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Yes I believe our bone marrow registry has a global reach and is the largest in the world....but I could be wrong. Folks isn't it named after and was triggered by a little boy who lost his life? Something about Anthony Nolan?

I remember the CJD issue and abandonment of the whole blood plasma, but I am not sure if the current status. We'll probably have some knowledgeable or medical people within the community who can contribute more intelligently:)


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I'm O. I have had 11 operations and I was nosey and looked in my notes.
 
sud5nala said:
This thread has got me curious about what possibilities there are for donating blood or bone marrow in the UK.
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There are at least two of my long term meds for MG that would prevent me from donating blood. There was a time when I would of been rejected as a donor completely but in the UK that now seems to have changed in the USA I believe it is still the case that blood will not be accepted from any one with an autoimmune disease.

The two meds are Azathioprine and Prednisolone you have had to be free of them for 12 months. It's a shame because I used to donate regularly.

https://my.blood.co.uk/knowledgebase/Index/M

For diabetes

https://my.blood.co.uk/knowledgebase/Index/D
 
Haven't got a clue, been type 1 since 7 years of age so being a blood donor wasn't an option
 
KevinPotts said:
Just found this link so maybe whole blood plasma can be donated. It's tested first to make sure it is safe...am I right?

https://www.blood.co.uk/why-give-blood/how-blood-is-used/blood-components/plasma/


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It's complicated! Most transfusions are of blood components rather than whole blood. Men are used as plasma donors as women can get sensitised during pregnancy and produce antibodies which may cause problems in the recipient. People born after 1 Jan 1996 are given imported plasma from countries with low rate of CJD.

If you really want to know the ins and outs, have a browse of this document:-
www.transfusionguidelines.org.uk/document-library/documents/transfusion-handbook-5th-edition/download-file/5th%2520Handbook%2520of%2520Transfusion%2520Medicine.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwjiso3Z__XNAhUKBcAKHQpMAhgQFggdMAE&usg=AFQjCNGivNSIbftutkMdgMXGzVRc4pkbfA&sig2=uk2_H3fsdLgjq0mJbMkRIA
 
I had a blood transfusion when I was pregnant and knew then and much to my annoyance have forgotten! Can't rack my brains to recall but would be interested to know, I guess I could probably find out if it is on my records...
 
I don't and 52. I know my brother has a rare one. I know they tested it pre my op last year, I just keep forgetting to ask.
 
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