Blood Groups - do you know yours/your family's?

[Jodee]

I was trying to find a record of ds's blood group recently and couldn't find it - it isn't noted in the red book. I know mine, I'm O Rh Neg, this is because I have given blood.

Would my GP have ds's blood group on record, I presume they must have found this out at birth?

And DH doesn't know his - he is reluctant to give blood, despite my twisting his arm, could he ask for a blood test from his gp just to find out this info?

i just feel it is knowledge that we as a family should know.

I'm A+, no idea what DH's or any of the kids are.

Dh at the age of 45 still doesn't know his.

Don't know the childrens yet

Isn't there something about being able to trace your ancestry to eg the Russian Steppes depending on you blood group?

I only know mine because I'm a blood donor.

mb, if rh pos is dominant over neg, doesn't that mean two O+ can have an O-? (Because the O+ could be carriers?)

Mercy, it could in theory matter in an emergency, so they'd know what blood to give you.

DH and I both A+ so presumably all kids the same?

It was a shock to find out I was Rh+ because my mother was Rh- and had misunderstood the antibody situation; because I was the second child and she had no problems with me she had assumed I was Rh- too (didn't realise that it is the second Rh+ child that causes the reaction, not the second child full stop).

(My dad was Rh+ btw)

i'm O-, dh is O+, all the kids are O+

Did DD2 & DD3 need transfusions then, misdee? Or have I misunderstood too?

I am O neg
DH is A pos
DD1 is A pos
DD2 is O neg

I'm A neg. DH is A pos and both ds and dd are A pos.

JanH It's possible your kids could be either A or O too (depending on you and your DH you could both be A+ but with recessive O genes and those could be passed on to your children), but they can't be B or AB. I think it's possible they could be -ve, too, depending on your DH's family history, as you'll have -ve genes from your mother that could have been passed on and if they get -ves from your DH too they could be -ve. The most likely blood group for them is A+ but it's not the only option.

Coo - thanks, LeahE, that is v interesting. DD1 has given blood and she is A+ but I don't know about the others yet.

Thanks SueW and GarfieldsGirl - will try gp and failing that, hospital records.

Jodee, my guess is GPs wouldn't do blood grouping for no reason in case of non-paternity, but I could be wrong.

nope dd2+3 didnt need transfusions. i have antibody checks throughout pregnancies and routine anti-d as well. if i start to produce antibodies then it will cause problems for babies. but all fine so far.

Jodee - I used to work in a pathology lab and GPs don't routinely test blood groups unless there's a reason, i.e. pre surgery or pregnancy. When I left the lab in 2001 a private blood grouping cost £36 and a paternity blood test cost £96 with our consultants but that's probably gone up in the last 5 years. The best way for him to find out his blood group for free is to donate blood.

In an emergency the bloodbank will supply what's called 'universal donor blood' or O Rhesus negative. It will not contain any antibodies, is suitable for transfusion with all blood groups and as it has not been specifically crossmatched it will only be given in a life-threatening emergency. Crossmatches can be turned around from scratch in about an hour and a half so if the transfusion can wait that long doctors would rather have specifically matched blood.

Just for the record, my mother and sister are A +ve, I'm O +ve and I don't know my father's group, but if he's an A, B or AB then I know I'm the milkman's and mother's got some explaining to do!! (I will happily explain if you want me to, but it will be a long one!)

martianbishop - your kids could be O neg you know

I am O neg

DH is O pos

All my kids are O pos. DH was tested because I did develop antibodies and he can only have Positive children because he is homozygous!!

true abot the rh -ve....blame it on the wine

Janh If you are group A or B You can either be AA, in which case you will always pass on an A gene. Or you can be AO, in which you can pass on either an A or an O gene. The same is true for people with group B, you can either be BB or BO (!)

People with group AB are AB and have a 50:50 chance of passing on either.

Group O people are always OO and can only pass on O genes to their kids.

Um, blunderwoman, your dad could be A or B, and you could still be O, without any milkman shenanigans.

Yes, if you mum is AO and your Father BO you have a 1 in 4 chance of being OO, 1 in 4 chance of being AB, 1 in 4 of being AO and 1 in 4 of being B0

  / B   /    O 

------
A / AB / AO
------
0 / BO / OO

That was so hard to do!

how weird I share the same blood group as some of my favourite mumsnetters:o

DP A+
DD A+
mum A+
dad A+
me A-

I thought that they stopped routinely testing the childrens blood group because it caused too much anxiety when the paternity was then questioned. I know mine and dh's because we have donated blood, but have no idea what ds and dd are.

me - A-

ds - O- (will have to strongarm him into giving blood when he's older - anyone know when you can start? )

dp - dunno. Am trying to get him to find out so I can hopefully avoid Anti-D injections next time.

me b-
dd1 b-
dd2 b-

my dad b-
my mum a+

dh?

my nan (mums side) b-
my nan (dads side b-