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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:
poppycat10 · 23/02/2021 20:15

I checked with my friend and she doesn't know her son's group even thought he was checked as she is rhesus negative. She gave birth in Surrey.

I just wanted to know because I wanted to know if I was the same as my mum or my dad and I turned out to be the same as my mum.

Mumoftwoinprimary · 23/02/2021 20:22

My dad is 72 and still doesn’t know for sure.

I am pretty sure he is B+ though as his dad was B+, his mum was O+ (so he is either B+ or O+), my mum is O+ and I am B+. So either he is B+ or my mum cleverly cheated on him with someone with the same (fairly rare) blood type as his dad.

We don’t know dh’s either - his parents are O and A I think which means we can narrow the kiddos down to either A, B, O or AB. Grin

WatchWatch · 23/02/2021 20:30

poppycat10

You have to ask. If you ask when they do the anti d, they'll tell you. That's how I know. It wasn't volunteered.

PaddingtonsSister · 23/02/2021 20:31

I know mine from when i used to be able to donate before they changed the rules Now if you have had a transfusion you can’t donate

110APiccadilly · 23/02/2021 20:37

[quote Itsamess8456]@110APiccadilly

They did insist on testing me again when pregnant which strikes me as a bit of a waste of NHS resources!

You can develop blood antibodies at any time of life - especially in between pregnancies. Hence, they are always checked in each pregnancy (and before any surgical procedure). It would be a disaster to give the wrong blood Transfusion

Also, can have more than of these blood tests in pregnancy - it's part of the stringent checking to ensure that the correct type of blood is available for you if you need it.[/quote]
Thanks, it now makes sense why they would check it!

Camomila · 23/02/2021 20:42

I've always known mine, its written on my childhood vaccinations sheet (from abroad).

I know the DCs as I had to have anti-D shots in both pregnancies.

AllFrightOnTheNight · 23/02/2021 20:57

If, God forbid, you need a blood transfusion, they will match your blood before doing it (or give you O neg in a dire emergency). There is no real need to know other than curiosity!
I do know mine, as I used to give blood, but I can't donate now, sadly.

gurglebelly · 23/02/2021 21:08

43 and no idea what mine is, or how you would find out

Mollymalone123 · 23/02/2021 21:16

Mine is B- so quite rare - I have a card to carry in my bag from many years ago,it was given to me after I gave birth the first time

Polkadotties · 23/02/2021 21:19

I only know mine as I’ve given blood. I’m B+

Nemostripes · 23/02/2021 21:25

I'm O negative. Found out when I miscarried a pregnancy at quite a young age (needed the anti-d injections that all pregnant women with a negative blood group require).

Wish I could donate blood as I'm the universal donor, but have had blood transfusions after huge haemorrhage with DS's birth so I believe I can't now!

Hushabyelullaby · 23/02/2021 21:29

@ilovesooty

Go and donate then they'll tell you. If you're O Neg in particular they will be so grateful.

I'm O neg and would happily give, they won't accept though as I have MS (which isn't thought to be transferable by blood, but they aren't taking chances).

Daphnise · 23/02/2021 21:30

I thought it was not the norm to know your blood type-at least in England- it's looked at when you're pregnant, or having certain treatments or operations or transfusions- but most people don't know theirs, and in general there is no need to know.

I also thought it does not show in standard blood tests, but needs a particular test to find it.

donewithitalltodayandxmas · 23/02/2021 21:32

I only know mine because i have given blood lots of times years ago and they used to give you a little card with type on

donewithitalltodayandxmas · 23/02/2021 21:33

But when I had an op they still took blood to test and didn't just take my word for it

LakieLady · 23/02/2021 21:34

I know mine (A-) because my mum told me (and it was confirmed when I was a blood donor).

I've never needed to know, and never been asked what it is.

donewithitalltodayandxmas · 23/02/2021 21:37

Don't know my kids blood group
I know I am b+ and dh ab+ bit thought kids could be any combination of these or even 0 but could be totally wrong as biology not my strong point
I can't donate blood anymore as I had a transfusion and due to mad cows and getting a transfusion not allowed anymore , not sure why as I could have it anyway ?

Hushabyelullaby · 23/02/2021 21:40

@LApprentiSorcier

If you know your parents' blood groups you can narrow it down.
My Mum, Dad, and sibling are all O+ so I assumed I would be too but nope, I'm O-

When I questioned my GP (secretly worrying my mum had had another bloke), I was told that it's perfectly possible, just the odds are lower that I'd not be O+

TransientFrog · 23/02/2021 21:42

A+
That's the best grade on my CV 😂

splishsplashsploosh · 23/02/2021 21:46

In Japan, some people think your blood type determines your personality - a bit like your star sign.

Puffthemagicdragongoestobed · 23/02/2021 21:54

I know mine and everyone else's in the family. Think I found out mine (0-) when I first registered as a blood donor. Then it was a big thing during my pregnancies due to the negative Rh factor. My kids' blood groups were checked after birth and I made a note of them. I know DH's because he used to be an active blood donor in the past.

RedFoxes · 23/02/2021 22:00

In an emergency you would have O Neg, which is universal and everyone can have it safely. Usually when you get to hospital a priority is to take samples and send to transfusion lab to get a blood group on you. This is because transfusion lab doesn't have an unlimited supply of O Neg available (but they have a lot of stand by for every eventuality so don't worry), so the sooner they can get your group the better for stock levels.
Even if you knew your group it doesn't matter, same process applies. Can't take a patient word for the blood group, needs to all be in a computer system and a fresh sample is always needed. People have and still do die from having incorrect blood transfused to them.
You can find out your group for becoming pregnant or giving blood out of interest.

DipSwimSwoosh · 23/02/2021 22:06

Why would you know? It'll be in your notes. I think I am O- because I think I remember being told it was a common one and a good one? But I can't give blood unfortunately, for various reasons.

cheeseybean · 23/02/2021 22:07

@VinterKvinna

Knows his by heart? Its 1/2 letters, followed by a +/-, not pi to the 137th digit
Grin
SakuraEdenSwan1 · 23/02/2021 22:11

I'm Rhesus Negative and so grateful to those who donate blood as I needed emergency blood transfusion 8 units in all when I took poorly. I knew I had a rare blood group when I had my children, but ask your GP if you wish to know.