To wonder if my blood group has changed?

[Upsetwithfriend]

Not a thread about a thread really, but inspired by the pregnancy/blood group thread, I wondered if my blood could have changed.

My blood group is AB+. During the birth of my third child, my uterus ruptured, and I suffered catastrophic blood loss.

I was given type A+, which I'm not sure why. I know I am AB as I was tested when pregnant with DS (20 years before my third), then obviously with the two following.

Following the transfusion my hair became very, very thick and turned straight (I have always had piss thin hair, you can see my scalp through, and very curly).

My hair has now returned to it's curly, thin state, but I am curious if my blood group could have changed, following a transfusion with another blood group.

I would think not - maybe after a bone marrow transplant? But isn't blood quite transient - your body would have just kept producing AB+ so you would still be that group.

"I was given type A+, which I'm not sure why"

Almost certainly because that was the blood they had.

You are AB+, meaning you can receive blood from anyone, whatever their blood type. You can only donate blood to another AB+, though.

To answer your question: No, your blood type has not changed. Hair doesn't curly or straight according to blood type, either.

That's not how it works! AB can receive other blood types, so you could be given any of the other groups, yours can't change!

AB blood = "universal recipient". You can receive blood from any type. Lucky old you!

It can change after a bone marrow transplant and rarely after some infections. As you have AB blood, you're a universal receiver and all other blood is compatible with yours - lucky you! I'm the opposite!

So no, it shouldn't have changed.

No it can't . If you are AB you are a universal recipient and can have A or B or AB or O Blood in an emergency. AB is fairly rare. O is the most common followed by A and then B with AB being the least common blood group. In an emergency you will have been given blood that most closely matched your own antibodies. But you cannot change blood group. Glad you are ok. I think the thickness of your hair is due to fluctuating hormones post pregnancy

Certain blood groups can receive certain other blood types if you need a transfusion. You don't necessarily have to receive the same blood group to have a transfusion. Emergency blood is O-, anyone can have it.

Maybe the hair change is to do with pregnancy hormones/nutrients?

If a donor gets the "wrong" blood, what happens?

No. It hasn't changed.
If you are AB positive you have A, B and rhesus + antigens on the surface of your blood cells and you are a " universal recipient" and could be given any blood type (though they still try to give you the closest)

If you are A- then you have only A antigens and would react if you were given type B or Rhesus +ve blood.
If you are O- then you have no A, B or Rh+ve antigens and are a "universal donor" your blood could be given to a person of any blood group without causing a reaction.

GCSE biology from > 20 years ago. I have impressed myself.

Could improvement in iron levels post transfusion account for the difference in your hair? Or that your hair stops falling out in pregnancy?

Your body rejects it causing acute/chronic GVH which would be fatal as the blood can't be removed I assumed. Like your body rejecting a transplant.

You would have been given A because AB is uncommon, whilst A is fairly common. AB is known as the "universal recipient"- - you can receive blood from any other blood groups.

I am fairly sure the only blood type change ever confirmed to have happened is from rhesus neg to pos during pregnancy if I Rhesus neg mother is carrying a Rhesus positive baby, although this is exceeding rare too.

I am also AB+. I see it as a positive boon if I should ever need a blood transfusion.

*recipient not receiver, oops!

Oak - it's common with bone marrow transplants as they match the tissue essentially, not the blood type.

Maybe the hair change is to do with pregnancy hormones/nutrients?

If a donor gets the "wrong" blood, what happens?

If you are given the wrong blood you get a transfusion reaction - a major one if you have antibodies against the cell proteins in the donated blood e.g if an A type person was given B blood, less major if the blood contains antigens against your cells (e.g a Rh+ person receiving Rh-ve blood) but still potentially serious.

Hormones is the reason your hair turned straight and got thicker for a while. Happened to me after both pregnancies. Ds is 20 months now and my hair is going madly curly again now after I've grown out and had cut out the straighter stuff! I'll have to let my hair grow again now so I don't look like I've just stuck my finger in a socket

Fatal reactions can occur if you get the wrong blood. Which is why when we give blood transfusions we check and double check that everything is correct.

When they used to do early transfusions, before they knew about blood groups, it was very hit and miss. They knew that it could work, but also that some people died and they didn't know why.