Knowing your blood type is useful for several reasons: for medical reasons, to get a visa in a foreign country, or to get some more information about your body. You can guess your group based on that of your parents, but to be absolutely certain, you need to take a blood test. Keep reading this article to find out more.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Determine Blood Group at Home
Step 1. Ask your parents
If they both know their blood type, this information helps you narrow down your search. In many cases this is sufficient for a forecast, using an online calculator or the list of results below:
- parent 0 * parent 0 = child 0
- parent 0 * parent A = child A or 0
- parent 0 * parent B = child B or 0
- parent 0 * parent AB = child A or B.
- parent A * parent A = child A or 0
- parent A * parent B = child A or B or AB or 0
- parent A * parent AB = child A or B or AB
- parent B * parent B = child B or 0
- parent B * parent AB = child A or B or AB
- parent AB * parent AB = child A or B or AB
- Blood groups also include an "RH factor" (positive or negative). If both parents have Rh negative (0- or AB-), your blood type will also be Rh-. However, if one or both have positive Rh, a test should be performed to determine what type of Rh is yours.
Step 2. Ask your GP
If this information is listed on your personal file, simply ask it. Of course, your doctor can only be informed if you have previously taken a blood test. Among the most common reasons why a withdrawal is necessary are:
- Pregnancy;
- Surgical intervention;
- Organ donation;
- Transfusion.
Step 3. Buy a blood test kit
If you don't want to go to a doctor, you might want to consider getting a kit to test yourself at home. You can find them at the pharmacy for a moderate price. This type of test normally involves wetting several pitches with different labels distributed on a special paper. You are asked to prick your finger and add some blood to each pitch according to the instructions given. A chemical reaction occurs on each of these pads that aggregates the blood instead of letting it disperse. This clumping is a reaction of incompatible substances with your blood. Once you are done with this process, simply compare the results using the instructions in the kit or with the list below:
-
First check the presence of aggregations in the "Anti-A" and "Anti-B" stands:
- If your blood type is A, aggregation will occur in the "anti-A" field
- If your blood type is B, aggregation will occur in the "anti-B" field
- If your blood type is AB, aggregation is present in both fields -
-
Then check the "Anti-D" stand:
- If aggregation forms, it means your blood + Rh positive. Then add the "+" sign to your blood group;
- No aggregation: your blood is Rh negative. Add the "-" sign to your blood type.
- If you are unsure of the result, change the map and try again. Of course, any home test is not as reliable as a professional one.
Method 2 of 2: Medical Visit
Step 1. Request a blood test
If your blood type has not yet been registered, you can get a test prescribed. Contact your doctor for the request.
Just tell him that you need to know what type of blood you have
Step 2. Go to the hospital or clinic
If you don't have a family doctor, you can go to a nursing home. Do some research and go to the one that suits you best.
You may want to call first to make sure it is one of the services they offer
Step 3. Donate blood
It's a very easy way to get to know your group and help others at the same time! Go to the AVIS, or the hospital, or the Red Cross and ask what are the procedures for becoming a donor.
- You can also make a few phone calls to know the structure that will give you the information in a faster way.
- Keep in mind that you will need to take a series of physical fitness tests and tests before donating blood. There are several factors that could prevent you from being able to donate blood, such as high-risk behavior, travel to certain countries, illnesses, or previous treatments.
Step 4. Consult the blood centers in your country of residence
Often these facilities provide citizens with free tools for determining blood type.
For example, if you live in Canada, you can go to the official website of the blood center. This way you can find out when and where there will be an awareness event during which you can take free tests. The result is almost immediate and you will know if you belong to a rare group, from which group you can receive blood and to whom you can donate it. You will be told your blood type and if you have a negative or positive Rh (Rhesus) factor
Advice
- In addition to the blood group, you should also get a Rh factor (or Rhesus factor) test. If the blood test is done by the Red Cross or other international institution, you will also be told the Rh factor, which is sometimes also called D. For example, you will be told if you are D + or D-. If the aggregation were to result in fields A and D, the person would have blood type A +.
- If you only know your parents' blood type, you can create a Punnett square to predict the probability of inheriting either. The blood group is determined by three alleles: the dominant ones ITO and I.B. and the recessive i. If your blood type is O, you have genotype ii; if it is A, your phenotype can be ITOTHETO or I.TOthe.
- 39% of the population is O +, 9% is O-, 31% is A +, 6% is A-, 9% is B +, 2% is B-, 3% is AB + and only the 1% is AB-.
- The calculator is not always right. Don't immediately say "Okay I'm B-" or "Here, I'm AB +".
