Blood type question?

Question

Hi! I gave blood the other day at my school and in the mail they sent me a little card thing that said my blood type. I am O negative. What does that mean? Is that good? Does anyone know any sites for more information on the blood type O negative?
Thanks!

Sorry if this is in the wrong section-I didn't really know where to put it. : )

Answer 1

There are four major blood types, or blood groups, in humans, and each one has two subgroups. The groups are A, B, AB, and O, and each one can be positive or negative.

Blood groups reflect the types of proteins that blood cells have on their outer membranes - bloods with different types don't usually mix well, but there are combinations of blood types that DO mix.

O negative is called the "universal donor" because anyone with any blood type can accept O negative blood. However, if you try to give, say, B+ blood to an A- person, it could kill them.

Learn more about blood types below:

Answer 2

There are 4 main types of blood: A, B, O, and AB, and each can be positive or negative. O negative blood is the most valuable blood because it can be given to any other blood-type. You are a "universal donor". Your blood is highly desired by Blood Banks. You help many people by donating. On the other hand, you (O-neg) can only receive O blood, preferably O-neg. So the Blood Bank may have a little trouble finding blood for you if you need it. Most likely, you'll always be able to get blood if you need it.

Answer 3

O negative is great for for any one that needs to receive blood, but O negative the worst kind of blood type to have if YOU need to receive blood.

My mom and I have O negative too, and she has been donating for 10+ years, so I hear about it ALL the time.

O negative is considered the "universal donor" blood type. Any other person, no matter what their blood type is, can receive O negative blood. O blood has no antigens so type A, B, and AB can all receive it.

But, O blood carries anti-A and anti-B antibodies, so a person with O blood can not receive type A blood, B blood or AB blood. A person with type O negative blood can ONLY receive type O negative blood.

O negative blood is always used on newborns and on traumas that come into the hospital. It takes too long to send their blood to the lab and get the results back. So, they give them O negative blood because every person can accept O negative blood.

Check out this site for more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_type

Answer 4

Your blood type is divided into 2 parts. The first one is the ABO group. Yours is O, this part of your blood type depends on the end radical of the antigen attached to the membrane of your blood cells. (n-acetylgalactosamine for type A, n-acetylglucosamine for type B, both for AB, neither for type O). Now the reason that type O is considered the "universal donor" is that it does not contain these antigens that are targets for antibodies contained in the recipients plasma (type A has anti-B, type B has anti-A, etc.)
The second part of your blood type is your Rh type (first discovered in the rhesus monkey). Yours is negative, that means you do not have the Rh antigen.
You can only receive O- cells. In an emergency or shortage of O- units, the pathologist may allow the transfusion of O+ but this will cause you to develop anti-Rh antibodies (if you have these antibodies, you can never receive O+ blood again and if you have a baby from an Rh positive father (O+,A+,AB+,B+), complications may occur wherein your antibodies attack your babies red cells).

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

O negative blood is just your blood type. I have O negative blood. Your blood does not have an antigen that positive blood has. People who are O negative are universal donors (they can donate to anyone), but they cannot get any positive blood type.

Answer 6

Actually all Negative groups are rare to get. When you need to get transfusion you will find hard to get this blood group. but be pleased, since you can give to any body since you are univrsal donor. There is one serious drawback in girls who belong to any negative group. Their first pregnancy would be normal unless otherwise they had transfusion of positive blood previousely or had any miscarriages. The second delivery would not be easy, if they had married to a + ve person and the first child too is found to be belonging to + ve ( no matter they belong to any major group viz., A,B,O & AB). If mother is not given anti immunoglobulin injection within 48 hours after first delivery, the mother would be safe but the child may suffer from a disease called erythroblastosis foetalis, a kind of jaundice which is fatal. So i would suggest you to get the injection as soon as your first delivery. Inform your Obstetrician and Gynocologist that you are O-ve when you get admitted for delivery.

Answer 7

O neg is the universal blood type for transfusions. Your blood can be used by everyone.

You can only receive O negative, though. So it's more difficult for you to get a transfusion.

Answer 8

Actually O- people can get blood from O+ people and they can give O- to several types of blood type. Found this out when I got my blood drawn for typing and crossing when my son had a major surgery. I was able to give him blood even though he had A+.

Your blood type just lets you know who you can give blood to and who you can get blood from. It is an interesting study though.

Answer 9

Its just of the blood types. Type O is called the universal donor because you can donate to people with other types whereas people with A,B, etc can only donate to their same type.

Answer 10

it just effects what types of blood you can be given if you need it. it also affects who you can give blood to. it is not something to worry about. there aren't many 0- so transfusions are hard to get but you can give blood to lots of people.