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That's what universal donor blood (O pos) is for. You can thank people like me who have lots of it running through their veins, and freely donate.
Not really...
Unless its a true life and death emergency with a patient bleeding out in the OR or ED and there isn't enough type specific blood available...a patient will always receive type specific blood.
I worked in a blood bank for years before becoming a PA and I never crossmatched anything but type specific blood for patients.
Also its O negative that is considered the universal donor not O positive
One positive reason to know your blood type is if you donate. O-Negative is universal, so if you have that type, you may want to donate on a regular basis. I do, and it is a great feeling to know you are helping someone. You can give once every two months. You can order that blood test online cheap
Yeap i always see it in the newspaper locally that the bloodbank needs type-O the most. Also it's good if men or women over 40 donate a couple times of year if you can as to lower the amount of iron in our blood as over the years it can build up to possibly cause problems in our cardiovascular system although i admit that i myself never donate which i should start to do.
And to further confuse matters, the RH factor can also be positive (dominant) or negative (recessive), much to the consternation and confusion of my first OB.
I'm O negative (found out when I gave blood, and confirmed when I was pregnant for the first time), and both of my parents are O positive. My OB insisted that my father could not really be my father, because RH factor is inherited. I tried to explain dominant/recessive genes to her, but she looked at my blankly and said "no, that's impossible."
So I'm O neg, my DH is A pos, and I'm pretty sure that both of my kids are A positive, if I'm remembering what the nurses in the hospital told me after they were born.
I find this story more than a little hard to believe...
Any first year medical student is intimately aware of ABO groupings and Rh factor.
An OB in particular, due to hemolytic disease of the newborn, has to have a firm grasp of the concept.
I don't buy that you had to "teach" basic genetics to your OB, and if you did that OB should not be practicing.
I learned mine was A positive when I was in 7th grade. We were studying the blood in science class and someone from a lab came in to talk to us about blood typing and they chose several of us to "type" our blood on the spot. And yes, if you donate, you can find out your blood type.
My husband, on the other hand, is 54 years old and, still doesn't know his blood type. He had quadruple bypass surgery about 4 years ago and while he was in the hospital, he asked what his blood type was. This nurse wasn't able to tell him. I'm sure it was written down somewhere in his chart, but he was still not able to find out!
AB negative here. As rare as they come. I have a blood card from when I donated blood. It has my type on it so I keep it in my wallet. All you have to do is ask your doctor because if they have ever drawn blood, I am sure it has been typed at some point and is on your record.
This isn't true.
Blood typing is only done if specifically ordered. You could have blood drawn all the time for routine chemistries, complete blood count, whatever. Unless a blood type and screen was specifically ordered, no one would ever have done that test on your blood.
If you are woman and you ever have been pregnant than you will have had a type and screen done during your pregnancy for sure. Men....not unless you have had surgery or donated blood are you likely to have had your blood typed.
Also its O negative that is considered the universal donor not O positive
Yep, you're right. Too early, no coffee. O neg indeed.
But as far as the other part of your statement goes, I never said that my blood would be given in lieu of the exact blood type. It just CAN be given if the "real" blood type isn't available.
I don't, but I'd love to go on the Bloodtype diet ... I hear it's great for you.
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O neg indeed.
I did not know that. I have always thought that O+ was the universal donor.
