Do you know your blood group?

A blood group test determines your blood group. The blood group will depend on which antigens are on the surface of the red blood cells. Antigens are molecules. They can be either proteins or sugars. The types and features of antigens can vary between individuals.

There are two classifications of blood groups or types of blood:

1. ABO antigens - A, B, AB, and O

2. Rh antigens - Red blood cells sometimes have another antigen, a protein known as the Rh-D antigen. If this is present, your blood group is Rh-D positive. If it's absent, your blood group is Rh-D negative. Each group can be either Rh-D positive or Rh-D negative, which means that in total, there are 8 blood groups.

The genes you inherited from your parents define your blood group.

The most prevalent blood group is O. Blood group O accounts for more than one-third of the Kenyan population. Receiving blood from the incorrect ABO group can be fatal. For instance, when someone with group B blood is given group A blood, their anti-A antibodies fight the group A cells which can cause hemolysis. An ABO-incompatible transfusion reaction can cause over-activation of the hemostatic and complement systems, leading to shock, renal failure, and death.

Why you need to know your blood group test:

1. Because you know your blood group, you can quickly find a donor in the event of an accident.

2. Your blood will be tested against a sample of donor cells that contain ABO and Rh-D antigens if you have a blood transfusion — when blood is removed from one person and given to another. Donor blood with the same ABO and Rh-D type can be used if there is no reaction. Blood transfusion, genetic research, organ transplantation, settling paternity issues, and cases of vaccination problems all require typing donors' and recipients' blood for ABO antigens.

3. A blood group test is always performed on pregnant women. This is due to the fact that if the mother is Rh-D negative but the child inherits Rh-D-positive blood from the father, the child will be Rh-D positive, which could cause complications if left untreated.

During the transfusion, the ABO and Rh blood group systems are important because they can cause Hemolytic Transfusion Reactions (HTRs) and hemolytic illness in the fetus and infant, as well as transplant rejection.

Do you know what blood type you have? Make a reservation for your blood group here.

Exceptional fact

ABO, Rh, Kidd, Kell, Duffy, MNS, and Lewis are only a few of the blood groups that exist in the human population.