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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I don’t know my blood group!

212 replies

C231009 · 23/02/2021 18:09

Dp knows his by heart and I don’t. I have no idea! Which he thinks is pretty bad of me, I mean it probably is. But he’s panicking me saying I need to find out just in case I need to know. Aibu to think this is a bit ott?

is it normal not to know it?

How do I find it out? Are they in the red books given out when babies! I’m sure dm probably still has mine!

OP posts:
ThreeTwoOneBlastOff · 23/02/2021 18:31

Routine blood tests don’t tell you your blood type. It’s a specific test.

MrsAvocet · 23/02/2021 18:32

You'll come to no harm by not knowing.
If you ever need a transfusion your blood will be tested and crossmatched individually for you first anyway.
Even if you know your group, are carrying a card or have your blood group tattooed on your chest, nobody would order blood for you on that basis.
If you need an absolutely urgent transfusion you would be given O negative blood, but that's an increasingly rare situation these days as with modern laboratory techniques it is possible to release blood that has been at least checked for all major incompatibilities very quickly. Even a full crossmatch doesn't take a long time these days.
Unless you've given blood, needed a transfusion or had it checked in pregnancy or before a planned major operation there's no reason why you would know. I imagine most people don't.

Sceptre86 · 23/02/2021 18:32

I didn't find out mine till I was pregnant with dd at 28.

Alwayswrongneverright · 23/02/2021 18:33

I only found mine out when pregnant with my eldest as I'm A- so rh negative and needed anti D injections, when my son was born they mentioned he was the same, again I mentioned it in passing to my dad and he told me it was the same as him. However, I haven't got a clue what my daughters are

Aprilx · 23/02/2021 18:33

I found mine out when I first donated blood in my 20s. The only other time it has been disclosed to me (although I already knew) was when I did medicals for emigration and it was in the report. I am confident my parents did not know my blood group and nor did they ever need it.

My husband says he doesn’t know his blood group, although I think it is O+ same as me from when we did the emigration medicals but I am not 100%.

I think “knows it by heart” is a bit OTT considering it is at most a three digit / symbol combination but most probably a two digit /symbol combination. 😀

NoCherryNoDeal · 23/02/2021 18:33

@C231009

It’s not that I don’t want to know it, I just haven’t given it much thought.

My comment was directed at those saying you shouldn’t want to know your blood type.

RickiTarr · 23/02/2021 18:33

No rush to know and he is being OTT but an easy way to find out is to donate blood.

Gatehouse77 · 23/02/2021 18:33

I was only aware of it when I started donating blood. I presumed it was written somewhere in my medical records if there had ever been an emergency situation and I needed a transfusion.
I’d also assume that if it had been an unusual blood group I would have been aware of it for that reason alone. Nothing was ever mentioned about it for any pregnancies or surgeries I’ve had 🤷‍♀️

Original poster
C231009 · 23/02/2021 18:34

@NeverDropYourMoonCup

Get pregnant or donate blood.

It's up to you to decide which is the least drastic way of finding out...

Definitely not getting pregnant! 🤣 I’ll look into donating. I’ve always wanted to do it!
OP posts:
Pythonesque · 23/02/2021 18:34

We only knew our blood groups once we signed up as blood donors as students. We don't know our teenager's groups - one has never been typed, the other may have been at one point but probably not (and she's not eligible to donate so we won't find out for a long time I expect!). Babies aren't routinely blood typed in this country. Babies of Rh negative mothers will be, and babies with significant jaundice also get typed (sometimes ABO "mismatches" can contribute to this, I forget which combination), but others there wouldn't be a reason to.

Testing someone for anaemia won't determine their blood group unless a transfusion is being considered and blood is specifically sent for typing.

user18467425798532 · 23/02/2021 18:34

If you have a transfusion they don't just take your word for it.

midnightstar66 · 23/02/2021 18:35

Why though? And babies aren't tested when they're born in the uk.
I know because my mum told me, we're in the uk. She knows hers, my brother and sisters, my dad knows his. I'm o neg and dc are opos. It's in their baby books

Original poster
C231009 · 23/02/2021 18:35

Thanks all ❤️

OP posts:
NeedCoffeeToSurvive · 23/02/2021 18:35

I had no idea of mine until I had my son and it was on my pregnancy notes. After he was born I completely forgot what it was and only know it now because I'm having my 2nd baby and again it's on my notes. I think many people don't know theirs although it is a good idea to know.

LynetteScavo · 23/02/2021 18:36

I know mine because I've had babies and given blood.

DH always told me he was the same as me - then when DS1 have blood he was told he is a blood type which cannot happen with the two blood types of his parents Shock

Having asked around DHs family it turns out DH was completely wrong and had completely invented that he knew his blood type, and DS is our child after all Grin

Natsku · 23/02/2021 18:36

@HelpMeh

Do you particularly need to know? I only found out mine when I moved abroad for work.

I'm AB+ which is apparently fairly uncommon and used for universal plasma donation. I'm not allowed to give blood in my current country due to the UK's mad cow disease outbreak way back when.

AB+ is universal recipient not universal donor. So quite handy for us if we need blood but less useful for donating (also can't donate because of living in the UK during the mad cow disease thing, though also my blood wouldn't be wanted as I had a transfusion in the last few years)
IncorrigibleTitmouse · 23/02/2021 18:36

I’ve always been quite proud of having A+ blood! 😂

Runkle · 23/02/2021 18:37

Give blood and you'll find out.

amylou8 · 23/02/2021 18:37

I only know mine from when I was pregnant, they have to test in case you're rh -ev. DP and the DCs have know idea what there's are. You don't need to know what you are for emergencies, they will give you O neg, which is universal, until you're cross matched.

NoCherryNoDeal · 23/02/2021 18:37

@IncorrigibleTitmouse

I’ve always been quite proud of having A+ blood! 😂
Give over, everyone wants to have most on demand type! Grin
Sweettea1 · 23/02/2021 18:39

Why will he need it if something medical comes up doctor will check what blood group you are. I did find out mine when pregnant couldn't tell you what it is tho as forgotten now.

C0RAL · 23/02/2021 18:40

@LizzieBirmingham

Go and give blood - you’ll find out and do a good deed all at once.
This.
littlepeas · 23/02/2021 18:40

I found out when I was pregnant and am B+. My dh doesn’t know as he’s never given blood (he really should....I can’t as I had a transfusion after dc2 was born). My dd had surgery as a baby but I didn’t think to ask what she was, so no idea there either!

Having a transfusion was like being brought back to life - the difference before and after was incredible. I wish I could give blood. I understand d the reasons, but being a recipient makes you want to give back, but you can’t.

SplendidSuns1000 · 23/02/2021 18:40

It's perfectly okay to not know. I think you can ask next time you have a blood test, I have routine bloods so I might ask next time if they'll tell me. I can't give blood or get pregnant so wouldn't know otherwise.

poppycat10 · 23/02/2021 18:41

@midnightstar66

Why though? And babies aren't tested when they're born in the uk. I know because my mum told me, we're in the uk. She knows hers, my brother and sisters, my dad knows his. I'm o neg and dc are opos. It's in their baby books
What part of the UK? Do you have very young twin babies - just wondering if it's a new thing to test and make a note? I have just asked a friend whose baby is 4 months old if she knows.