- What is the Rh factor
- Blood donation compatibility chart
- What is your child's blood type
- Who can donate blood
- How to donate blood
Blood types are classified according to the presence or absence of agglutinins, also called antibodies or proteins in the blood plasma. Thus, blood can be classified into 4 types according to the ABO system in:
- Blood A: it is one of the most common types and contains antibodies against type B, also called anti-B, and can only receive blood from people of type A or O; Blood B: it is one of the rarest types and contains antibodies against type A, also called anti-A, and can only receive blood from people of type B or O; AB blood: it is one of the rarest types and has no antibodies against A or B, which means that it can receive blood of all types without reaction; Blood O: is known as the universal donor and is one of the most common types, it has anti-A and anti-B antibodies, and can only receive blood from type O people, otherwise it can agglutinate red blood cells.
People with type O blood can donate blood to anyone but can only receive donations from people with the same blood type. On the other hand, people of type AB can receive blood from anyone but can only donate to people with the same blood type. It is important that the transfusion is only done in people who have compatibility, otherwise there may be transfusion reactions, which can lead to complications.
According to the blood type, there are different types of food that may be more suitable. See what the diet should be like for people with blood A, blood B, blood AB or blood O.
What is the Rh factor
In addition to the classification of blood types according to the ABO system, blood types are also classified according to the Rh factor in + and -. The Rh factor corresponds to an antigen present in red blood cells and must also be taken into account in the transfusion process, otherwise there may be serious complications related to blood transfusion.
People who have the Rh factor are classified as Rh + and can receive blood from people who are both Rh + and Rh-, however they can only donate to others who also have Rh +. On the other hand, people who do not have the Rh factor are classified as Rh- and can donate blood to people who do or do not have Rh factor, however they can only receive it from Rh- people.
Blood donation compatibility chart
The following table shows who you can donate blood to and who you can receive it from:
| You can donate to: | You can receive a donation from: | |
| Blood type A + | AB + and A + | A +, A-, O + and O- |
| Blood type A- | A +, A-, AB + and AB- | A- and O- |
| Blood type B + | B + and AB + | B +, B-, O + and O- |
| Blood type B- | B +, B-, AB + and AB- | B- and O- |
| Blood type AB + | AB + |
A +, B +, O +, AB +, A-, B-, O- and AB- (all) |
| AB- type blood | AB + and AB- | A-, B-, O- and AB- |
| Blood type O + | A +, B +, O + and AB + | O + and O- |
| Blood type O- | A +, B +, O +, AB +, A-, B-, O- and AB- (all) | O- |
What is your child's blood type
Usually the child's blood type is identified shortly after birth by means of the baby's foot test. However, the child's blood type can also be identified by means of routine blood tests or at the request of the child's pediatrician in order to determine the diagnosis of any disease.
However, by knowing the parents' blood type, it is possible to know the possible possibilities of the child's blood type. Check the baby's possible blood type:
In pregnancy, when the mother is Rh negative and the baby is positive, the mother is likely to produce antibodies to eliminate the baby and may lead to an abortion. Therefore, pregnant women with this blood type should consult the gynecologist to check when there is an indication for injection of anti-D immunoglobulin, but there are never serious problems in a first pregnancy. Here's what to do when the pregnant woman's blood type is Rh negative.
Who can donate blood
Blood donation lasts an average of 30 minutes and some requirements must be respected, such as:
- Be between 18 and 65 years old, however people from 16 years old can donate blood as long as they have authorization from parents or guardians and fulfill the other requirements for donation; Weigh more than 50 kg; If you have had a tattoo, wait between 6 to 12 months to certify that you have not been contaminated with any type of hepatitis and that you are still healthy; never to have used illegal injectable drugs; wait one year after the cure of any STD.
Men can only donate blood once every 3 months and a maximum of 4 times a year and women every 4 months and a maximum of 3 times a year, as women lose blood every month through menstruation, taking longer time to replenish the amount of blood drawn. See in what situations it may be prohibited to donate blood.
Before donation it is important to avoid consuming fatty foods at least 4 hours before donation, in addition to avoiding fasting. Therefore, it is recommended to have a light meal before donating blood and after donation, have a snack afterwards, which is usually provided at the donation site. In addition, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids, do not smoke for at least 2 hours after donation and do not perform very intense physical activities, as there may be a risk of fainting, for example.
Check out this information in the following video:
How to donate blood
The person who wishes to donate blood must go to one of the blood collection stations, fill out a form with several questions about their health and lifestyle. The form will be analyzed by a specialist and, if the person is able, he can then sit in a comfortable chair for the donation to be made.
A nurse will place a needle in the vein of the arm, through which the blood will flow into a bag to store the blood. The donation lasts approximately half an hour and it is possible to ask for work leave on this day, without having the salary deducted.
At the end of the donation, the donor will be offered a reinforced snack to replenish his energies, as it is normal for the donor to feel weak and dizzy, despite the amount of blood withdrawn not reaching half a liter and the organism will soon recover this loss..
It is safe to donate blood and the donor does not get any disease, because it follows national and international blood safety standards from the Ministry of Health, the American Association and the European Council on Blood Banks.
Watch the following video and also know in which situations you cannot donate blood:
