Blood Group

Your blood group, also known as your blood type, is a way of classifying your blood based on the presence or absence of specific antigens found on the surface of your red blood cells. These antigens can trigger immune responses, which is why it’s important to know your blood group for things like blood transfusions, pregnancy, and certain medical procedures.There are two main systems used to determine your blood group: the ABO system and the Rh system. The ABO system categorises blood into four main types - A, B, AB, and O. People with type A blood have A antigens on their red blood cells and anti-B antibodies in their plasma. Those with type B blood have B antigens and anti-A antibodies. People with AB blood have both A and B antigens and are known as universal plasma donors. Those with type O blood have neither A nor B antigens but have both anti-A and anti-B antibodies, making them universal red cell donors.The second part of your blood group is based on the Rh system, which refers to whether the RhD antigen is present or not. If you have the Rh antigen, your blood type is positive (e.g., A positive or O positive). If you don’t have it, your blood type is negative (e.g., B negative or AB negative). So, your full blood type is a combination of both systems, such as A+, O−, B+, and so on.