How does one find out their own blood group?

[DangerQuakeRhinoSnake]

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

I found out when pregnant. DH has no idea what his is, and I have no idea about the kids either. I'm B+.

It was on mine.

No it didnt...... Some of us (including the OP) are not allowed to donate blood.

Asking at the doctors surgery isnt a solution either as its not on my records.

You've just reminded me that was when I first learned I had a rare blood type. The teacher stabbed me again to double check and I was so embarrassed! 🤣.

I did donate blood for many years but I don't any longer. I was also tissue-typed for a bone marrow patient but was not a close enough match to proceed.

It does make sense when you explain it, however it seems such a simple piece of information that could be filed with the rest of out info and isn't!

It's not like it would change over the course of our lifetime, is it?

Haha lucky you! 😆

very rarely blood groups can appear to change due to medical conditions (the most likely cause of a 'change' in group is a mistake though and that's why a cross-match needs 2 samples as it reduces the chance of error). More commonly though you can develop antibodies that might have implications for receiving blood (ABO won't have changed, but if someone develops new antibodies then it can take longer to find suitable cross matched blood). So again, it's interesting to know blood groups, but still not much use in real life because it needs checking every time.

Maybe there is a kind of societal-wide hesitation to record blood types too much and too visibly.

I know that adopted children learn that they are adopted now, but it wasn't the case through the blood groups history. And even today, there are secret-affair children, quietly-tolerated-affair children, or children from donated gametes.

Thank you very interesting.

Good points!

Yes it can change. If you receive multiple transfusions you can make new antibodies.

And people are very unreliable at reporting their medical info, plus medical notes can be wrong. A transfusion of the incorrect group can be fatal so it's very tightly controlled.

I’ve known mine since I was 18 and donated blood.
im O-
As a result my dc were tested at birth and 2 of mine are O- and the other two are O +

I did ask out of curiosity what my parents blood groups were and they said they didn’t know.

as an aside my mum had a really weird reaction when I told her I was O negative, she went really defensive and said that I can’t be, it was impossible and the doctors were wrong, she did have quite a lot of affairs though and I think she got really worried that I wasn’t my dads bio daughter! I am though, definitely.

A+ because I’m a high achiever 🤣

Told when I was pregnant

Apparently females have the same blood type as their fathers. Can't remember where I read that.

It's not true though. You inherit one copy of the blood group gene from each parent, and it's the combination of the two that determines your group.

I do have the same group as my dad, but my sister doesn't.

Me too. I am B rhesus pos (which I knew from giving blood) but also remember having various conversations with doctors and midwives but think this was on account of having an elcs. I know both children's as both had jaundice so blood tests in the first few days.

Likely just give them O! As everybody can have that. Not sure about the rh- or rh+ bit - others can advise on that.

When I was in 6th form, one of my friends worked out her dad wasn't her biological father when she first gave blood!

No they don't. My Dad was AB+ and I'm O+.

I didn't think that was possible but a quick Google says it is but exceedingly rare.

O negative is the universal donor (anyone can have it), AB+ is the universal recipient, they can have any blood type.

I am the same . It used to be Rh+ donor but RH- recipient (I think rr)

My first 10 or so donations were RH+ until the Blood Transfusion service decided to reclassify so now my donations are RH-

I just wish the letter telling me this wasn't dated April 1st (it obviously arrived later)