There are four blood types: A, B, AB, and type O. Type A blood has A antigens on the surface of the red blood cells and has an anti-B antibody in the plasma. Type B blood is just the opposite with B-antigens on the surface and anti-A antibody in the plasma. Type AB blood has both A and B antigens on the surface and no antibodies in the plasma. Type O blood has no antigens but have both anti A and anti B antibodies. There are also Rh antigens, if someone has these they are Rh positive and if they do not they are Rh-. Knowing these blood types are important for donating and receiving blood.
A women who is Rh negative and is with a male who is Rh positive and is thinking about a child, they want to take precautions. During birth the blood will mix from the baby and the mother, this will cause the mother to develop Rh antibodies. If she does not have a Rhogan shot within 48 hours after the first child, she will develop these antibodies. When she is pregnant with the second child, this will cause clumping of the blood cells and the newborn will be oxygen deprived. This is know as hemolytic disease of the newborn.
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I think it is awesome the way we can distinguish between the different blood types. We did blood typing in lab recently and I never knew what kind of blood I had. I had always wondered. I knew I could narrow it down because my parents both knew what they had. In lab I found out that I was type A. We were not able to figure out the rh but at least I know I am A. Or at least according to this test. I find the whole Rh thing during birth to be VERY confusing, but it seems as though you know what you are talking about.:)
ReplyDeleteI found the information on a Rh- mother amazing. It is estimated that 10,000 pernatal deaths are avoided every year thanks to the RhoGAM shot (thats just in the US!). In the 1940s, approximately 10% of all pregnancies in the United States were affected by HDN. At that time, the only preventive measure taken was exchange transfusions. These massive transfusions involved total replacement of the baby's blood immediately after birth. :( very sad.
ReplyDeleteBut hey, how about those advancements in technology :D thankfully we have to propper steps to avoid that now.