Rare Blood Types | Rare Blood Types a b o, Rare Blood Types List

Arranging blood donors of rare blood types is always a tough task as awareness on rare blood types is still low and usually getting started on the search for rare blood types draws a blank with most people in the World.

Hundreds of blood units are required for patients suffering from blood diseases like anaemia, accidental blood loss, excessive destruction of red blood cells, thalassemia, haemophilia, leukemia and bone marrow transplant & rare blood disorders.

Although all blood is made of the same basic elements, not all blood types is alike. In fact, there are eight different common blood types, which are determined by the presence or absence of certain antigens – substances that can trigger an immune response if they are foreign to the body. Since some antigens can trigger a patient's immune system to attack the transfused blood, safe blood transfusions depend on careful blood typing and cross-matching.

People come in all different shapes, sizes and blood types. The vast majority of blood types fall into one of the major ABO groups. However, for a small percentage of the population, finding someone else with the same blood type can be as difficult as looking for a needle in a haystack.

There are more than 600 known antigens besides A and B. Certain blood types are unique to specific racial and ethnic groups. Therefore it is essential that the donor diversity match the patient diversity.

When blood is phenotypically matched, patients are at a lower risk of developing complications from transfusion therapy. For this reason, it is extremely important to increase the number of available blood donors from all ethnic groups.

In the United States , the rarest blood type is AB Negative. It has been estimated that only about 1 in about 170 people have this blood type.

Next in line is the B Negative blood type. About 1 in every 70 people has this blood type.

The most common blood group is the O Positive blood group. In a way this is our good fortune as people with this blood type can donate blood to all people who have any blood type with the RhD antigen present.

Blood Donation

Donors can safely give blood every 56 days. Those willing to donate must be at least 17 years of age and weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health.

Giving blood doesn't just benefit recipients. Regardless of age, donating blood offers many benefits for donors. It lets you:

Develop a sense of commitment to and connection with your local community.

Be assured that adequate supplies of blood are available for you, as well as your family and others.

Check your blood pressure, temperature, hemoglobin and pulse rate every time you give. Join a group of special volunteers.

Apart from providing information on rare blood types, our aim is to create awareness about voluntary blood donation of rare blood types & Rhesus negative blood types.

To donate blood, visit an upcoming drive or search at redcrossblood.org to find a donation time and place.

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