What is rare blood group

Do you know your blood type? If you do not, you are like most people. If you’re ever in a life-threatening situation requiring a blood transfusion, your blood type will always be checked. That’s because if you’re given an incompatible blood donation, your immune system will attack the donor blood by forming antibodies to destroy the unrecognized “foreign invaders.” Of the eight most common blood types, some are rarer than others. What’s more, the type of blood you can receive from a donor is dictated by your own blood type. Here’s what you need to know. RELATED: What does your blood type mean for your health? What are the different blood types? There are four major blood types grouped by the ABO blood group system. This system categorizes blood types based on the presence or absence of specific markers (sugars) on red blood cells called Antigen A or B. The four main blood types are A, B, AB, and O. The most common ABO blood group is O, followed by group B, group A, and group AB (the least common). According to Eric Ascher, DO , a family medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York , blood types also indicate what antibodies (proteins that attack foreign red blood cells) your blood has. For example, blood type A has A antigens and anti-B antibodies; the opposite is true for type B blood. Type O has no antigens, but both antibodies, and Type AB has both antigens, and no antibodies, Dr. Ascher explains. Blood types are further classified according to the Rh system, w...

These are both great questions! You’re right that negative type is fairly rare. Only 15% or so of Americans have this blood type! 1 Before we dive all the way in, we need to talk a bit about blood type. You may have already heard terms like A+ blood, B- blood, or O blood. These are terms describing different blood types a person can have. Our blood cells are covered in little markers or flags, called antigens. You might have “A” type markers, “B” type, both, or neither! But those aren’t the only antigen types. The + or – part of blood type refers to the Rhesus factor, or Rh factor for short. If you have that marker, you have positive type blood. If you don’t have it, you have negative type blood. Which antigens your body makes are determined by your DNA. There are a few different genes that affect blood type. For example, the ABO gene determines whether you have type A, B, AB, or O. Similarly, Rh genes determine whether you have positive or negative type. Different types of antigens on blood cells (Image via Shutterstock) Where does Rh- originate from? The short answer is that Rh factor is very, very old. Like I mentioned earlier, Rh factor is short for Rhesus factor. This actually refers to how scientists first discovered Rh: in Rhesus macaque monkeys. Other primates have similar Rh molecules to us. And if you go even further back in evolutionary history, you can even find 2 Humans have two different Rh genes: RHD and RHCE. Together, these genes provide the instructions t...

The precise composition of blood varies between individuals. This difference in structure is what makes a person’s blood type. Most people use the ABO system to group blood types, as well as rhesus factor, which is either positive or negative. An individual’s blood type depends on which genes they inherited from their parents. ABO is the best-known system for Every Share on Pinterest Bloomberg Creative/Getty Images The main • red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body • white blood cells, which play a crucial role in the immune system • plasma, which is a yellowish liquid that contains proteins and salts • platelets, which enable clotting The blood group will depend on Antigens are molecules. They can be either proteins or sugars. The types and features of antigens can vary between individuals, due to small genetic differences. The antigens in blood have various functions, including: • transporting other molecules into and out of the cell • maintaining the structure of red blood cells • detecting unwanted cells that could cause illness Scientists use two types of antigens to classify blood types: • ABO antigens • Rh antigens Antigens and antibodies play a role in the immune system’s defense mechanism. White blood cells produce antibodies. These antibodies will target an antigen if they consider it a foreign object. This is why it is essential to match blood types when a person needs a transfusion. According to the This can cause a severe and possibly life-threaten...

" " Blood bags, sorted by type, line a tray at a hospital. Some blood types are more common than others. ER Productions Limited/Getty Images If you've ever searched the internet for the rarest blood type, you may have come up with more questions than answers. The short answer: AB negative is the rarest of the eight main blood types. Less than 1 percent of American donors are AB negative But the truth is, there are dozens of other blood types far rarer than AB, and newer, even rarer, ones could yet be discovered. • white blood cells, which fight infection • platelets, which aid in clotting • red blood cells, which transport oxygen throughout the body and remove carbon dioxide On the surface of the red blood cells are proteins and sugars called antigens. They serve as markers to characterize each cell type. There are four main antigens that make up the four main blood groups. They are known as A, B, AB and O. A blood types have the A antigen, B blood types have the B antigen, and AB blood types have both A and B antigens. O blood types, however, have neither A nor B antigens. These ABO blood types are further classified as Rh positive or Rh negative. Rh, formerly known as Rhesus, is another protein that is found on the surface of red blood cells. People who have this Rh factor on their red blood cells are Rh positive. Those who do not are Rh negative. This positive or negative attribute divides the four major blood groups into eight types. The population breakdown in the U.S...

Rare blood types are rare as the name suggests. They have a less occurrence in the general population, making them harder to find in times of medical emergencies. AB negative, B negative, and O negative are those rare blood groups. For these rare blood groups, the significance of blood donation becomes crucial. By donating blood, individuals contribute to saving lives and improving healthcare outcomes for patients who require transfusions. Every donation can make a significant difference, especially for those with rare blood types who heavily rely on the generosity of donors. Dr Shailesh Shetty S, Consultant, Emergency Medicine, Aster CMI Hospital, says, “Blood type prevalence varies across populations and geographic regions. While many people are familiar with the basic blood types (A, B, AB, and O), rare blood types pose unique challenges in maintaining an adequate blood supply for those in need. Understanding these rare blood types and encouraging regular blood donation can save lives and ensure the availability of diverse blood types when emergencies arise. Blood type O is the most common [63% world’s population] throughout the world. Rh+ blood is much more common than Rh- blood. A person can only give blood to someone with compatible blood antigens. People with Rh- blood can give blood to both Rh- and Rh+ recipients. However, those with Rh+ blood cannot give to Rh- recipients. AB negative is the rarest of the eight main blood types - just 1% of our donors have it.” Th...

What are rare blood types? The science of blood transfusion is complex and multifaceted. Determining the correct blood product to transfuse into a patient is of utmost importance to his or her care and recovery. This decision comes down to more than just matching the ABO groupof the donor and recipient. The surface of our red blood cells contains antigens (like a protein) that determine a person’s specific blood type. Doctors and scientists have discovered more than 600 of these antigens. Their presence or absence creates our individual blood types. Currently, there are 33 recognized blood group systems. Each group has its own unique combination of antigens. What is rare? Your blood type is considered rare if it is missing a common antigen or combination of antigens that most people have. Someone with a rare blood type lacks antigens that 99% of people are positive for. Those with an extremely rare blood type lack antigens that 99.9% of people are positive for. For example, a person’s blood type is considered rare if only 1 other person in 1,000 shares their same special combination of antigens. To be considered extremely rare, those numbers jump to 1 in 10,000. Compatibility is key For patients with rare or extremely rare blood types, receiving transfusions from compatible donors is key to successful treatment and recovery. If a person receives a transfusion of blood that contains antigens his or her own blood does not contain, the patient’s immune system could attack the...

Different blood types are prevalent in different parts of the world. In the United States, AB-negative is the rarest blood type, white O-positive is the most common. Your blood type is based on genetics and whether it contains certain antigens. While AB/Rh-negative may be the rarest blood type Keep reading to learn more about blood types and why it’s hard to say which type is the rarest in the world. You’ll also learn why it’s important to know your blood type and how you can obtain this information. Every drop of blood contains But that’s not where it ends. Your blood also contains antigens, which are proteins and sugars that sit on red blood cells and give blood its type. Though there are at least 33 ABO system Two of these important antigens have been labeled A and B. You can have either or both antigens on your blood cells, as determined by your genetics. If neither of these antigens is present, the blood is type O. Rh factor Blood is also typed according to the Rh factor. This is another antigen found on red blood cells. If the cells have the antigen, they’re considered Rh-positive. If they don’t have it, they’re considered Rh-negative. Depending on whether the Rh antigen is present, each blood type is assigned a positive or negative symbol. Together, these two groups form the eight basic blood types that most people are familiar with: It’s hard to say which blood type is the rarest in the world because they’re linked to genetics. That means the prevalence of certain ...

The unborn baby was in trouble. Its mother’s doctors, at a UK hospital, knew there was something wrong with the fetus’s blood, so they decided to perform an emergency C-section many weeks before the baby was due. But despite this, and subsequent blood transfusions, the baby suffered a brain hemorrhage with devastating consequences. It sadly passed away. It wasn’t clear why the bleeding had happened. But there was a clue in the mother’s blood, where doctors had noticed some strange antibodies. Some time later, as the medics tried to find out more about them, a sample of the mother’s blood arrived at a lab in Bristol run by researchers who study blood groups. They made a startling discovery: The woman’s blood was of an ultrarare type, which may have made her baby’s blood incompatible with her own. It’s possible that this prompted her immune system to produce antibodies against her baby’s blood—antibodies that then crossed the placenta and harmed her child, ultimately leading to its loss. It may seem implausible that such a thing could happen, but many decades ago, before doctors had a better understanding of blood groups, it was Through studying the mother’s blood sample, along with a number of others, scientists were able to unpick exactly what made her blood different, and in the process confirmed a new set of blood grouping—the “Er” system, the 44th to be described. You’re probably familiar with the four main blood types—A, B, O, and AB. But this isn’t the only blood clas...