1. Do I need to know my blood type?
Your blood will always be typed before you receive any blood to make sure that it is safe for you. The only time blood is given without blood typing is if there is an extreme emergency and there isn’t enough time to perform the test before the blood needs to be transfused. In this case, group O, Rh negative blood (the universal donor blood) is administered since this blood type does not have any A, B, or Rh antigens that can potentially cause a hemolytic transfusion reaction.
2. Who is a “universal blood donor” and a “universal blood recipient”?
A universal blood donor is someone who has an O blood type and is Rh negative. This means that they have no A or B antigens or Rh factor on their red blood cells. Their red blood cells can be given to a patient with any ABO or Rh blood type, because there are no A, B, or Rh factor antigens on the donor’s red blood cells for the antibodies of a patient with a different blood type to react with. Hence, there is no potential for a hemolytic transfusion reaction due to ABO or Rh incompatibility. A universal recipient is a person who has an AB blood type and is Rh positive. They can receive red blood cells of any ABO or Rh type with no risk of a serious hemolytic transfusion reaction due to ABO or Rh incompatibility.
This article was last reviewed on December 13, 2007.
This page was last modified on April 8, 2009.
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