How does one find out their own blood group?

[DangerQuakeRhinoSnake]

Presumably it's on file somewhere, I've just never known.

It's not a big mystery, it's just not necessary to test it outside of certain medical indications. So most people aren't tested until needed. On top of that, it used to be that not all GPs could see electronic results from all hospitals so if you were tested at a hospital out of your GP's area, the GP wouldn't be able to see those results (not sure if this is still the case). Each hospital would always insist on doing their own testing anyway - often two samples in many places now. No big secrets, just not needed!

Outside of obstetrics, I don't actually check what a patient's blood group is, before starting an operation. I just check there is a valid sample in the lab, and units available if we've requested them. Whether they're O+ or AB- makes very little difference to me!

I found out at Uni in a Biology lab session, we all tested our blood group! Was fun. That was a long time ago, I sent off for a test kit and it was the same result.

What a great idea.

It would be an international thing so unsure if that would even be possible, but I love that this is a thing!

I’m B+ husband thinks he may be A, not 100%. No idea what the kids are.

I think I only knew mine and DSs because both of us were ill as small children. I knew my Dad's because he was a blood donor and A neg.

Thank you very much @SockQueen for your detailed answer my question.
I appreciate you sending that information along.
When I had my first DC, my doctor knew I was Rh negative and my DH Rh positive.
I remember receiving an injection of RH immune globulin while I was pregnant and I had another injection after the birth.
I always wondered why it wasn't noted somewhere in their records, and I've talked to other mums who also wondered why they hadn't been offered that information about their DC's
So thank you!

I asked before an operation and they had mine on the notes (can’t donate blood)

You can get a kit off ebay - did it for my son and it was under a tenner

I found out in pregnancy, I’m O- dd1 was tested after birth and she is also O-and DD2 is also O-. When I was pregnant with dd2 they had brought in the anti-d injections throughout pregnancy I mentioned to the midwife that as dh was also O- so I wouldn’t need the anti-d but, quite rightly, they wouldn’t take our word for it nor test him. So we got him tested at the GP and then the midwife agreed that I didn’t need the anti-d.

I found out mine when I got pregnant but that would be a slightly dramatic way of trying to find out your blood group!

That will if course depend on the country. I know there were successful international circular pair transplantations within central Europe and between central Europe and Israel. I suppose US and UK have big enough population each to be able to organize the swaps locally. I have no idea how this work elsewhere in the world.

I wanted to say decide for yourselves and let the compatibility on recipient's doctor, but I suppose if the potential recipient is abroad, starting from your own blood group makes sense.

I only found out mine when I was pregnant

Both my parents were very common bloods groups but my sister and I are very rare.
No idea how that works.

@Greybeardy
Thanks for your detailed reply - really interesting.
This was mostly club racers, so no chance there was a specialist unit, maybe a St John's Ambulance in attendance. I don't know what happens at F1 level, beyond they have paramedics at trackside, and serious accidents are helicoptered out. I would guess that the team would have detailed medical info for each of their drivers.
Interesting how many people don't know, though - my blood group is written on the Baby Warrington bands from when I was born, but I can't recall if my kids' was, and thus I know mine but not theirs.

It is unlikely to just be on file unless with blood bank or you need surgery. Generally blood is drawn before any invasive surgery to crossmatch with various antibodies as well as blood type, as these change almost daily and can also cause reactions/complications.

I found out mine through pregnancy blood tests. I didn’t know until then.

In the days when the blood test request was on three part ncr paper, I cheekily ticked the box myself! B+ the same as my mum and siblings

I have had three pregnancies and was given a card stating my blood group each time, told it was a rare type and carry the card with me.

Pregnancy 1
You are Rh B Negative
Pregnancy 2
your blood type is very rare
if you need a transfusion you are RhB Neg, if you are donating you are RHB Positive ,
Pregnancy 3
if you need a transfusion you are RHB Positive. If you donate you are RH B Negative
your blood is very rare.

Luckily I have never needed any of this.

I’ve always known my blood group as my parents told me. They know theirs, mine and my siblings so I assumed that was the norm to have that info. I had both my dc abroad where it is written on their baby book. I assume they tested that during the heel prick test they routinely take for I can’t remember what else. I was however given anti D prior to birth with dd1 due to not knowing blood group of exP. Despite being covered in tattoos he decided he was too scared of needles to take the blood test they asked him to 🙄 so was given precautionary. It turns out to have been needed as I’m o- and both dc are o+. Not sure why they don’t wait til after if they are checking blood group anyway. I’m sure they said it was better to have 2 - one before birth and one after but that was over 16 years ago now so memory is vague 😆

It used to be on the Biology O Level syllabus, then HIV / AIDS hit and it was thought that giving teenagers' stabby things and squeezing blood out of their finger might not be the best idea.

I think this could be a pain to find out under your own steam. The GP might have the information depending on if and when you have been pregnant, and how test result information was shared at that time. If the GP doesn’t have the information and you’re not under the care of a hospital team then you would need a SAR to access.

If you have not had a pregnancy then your blood group will only be known if you’ve had major surgery. Just having had ‘blood tests’ does not mean your blood group is known.

In short, if your GP can’t give you the information then just go through the living donor service as it will be much more straightforward for you and the hospital team.

Didn't know my Dad's until he needed a transfusion. That's when I decided to start donating.

It is weird, isn't it. I'm on anticoagulants for life so thought it would be useful information to add to the emergency info on my phone, in my purse etc, but no-one at the hospital or my GP could tell me.

No hospital (in the UK, at least) would issue blood based on information on someone's phone or purse. They will ONLY release blood matched to their own lab's valid samples - tests done in another hospital don't count, and most labs will require the sample to have been done within a fairly recent time frame, so one taken years ago would be no use.

In an emergency, O negative blood is used until crossmatched blood is available. So there's really no benefit to having your blood group recorded on your phone or anywhere else, interesting though it is!

First one nails it.