Do you know your blood group?

A+ here. Dh is A-. Ds1 is O-, which is the universal donor. O+ is not a universal donor as negative blood groups can’t receive positive blood. However, da lives in the US, where they won’t take his blood due to mad cow disease concerns.

No medic will ever give you a blood transfusion without carrying out a test first.

You will all get my blood - Rh O negative - I’m a first responder blood donor as anyone with any other blood group can have this! I’ve known all my life as sadly there were a lot of babies who died in my parents and grandparents generation- an Rh neg mum pregnant with an Rh positive baby will develop dangerous antibodies that will kill off the red blood cells in a subsequent Rh pos baby. It’s easily treated now with injections during pregnancy but it wasn’t and my mum was told never to have babies - luckily dad was Rh negative too. That’s one of the reasons we all are tested during pregnancy. My daughters have always known their blood group too as their foetal blood was taken at birth. Even if you don’t know yours and they can’t find that tatty card you have in your purse they won’t give you any old blood. Just mine !

Apologies, posted twice as first one seemed to disappear ?

I know mine from donating blood.
The same for DH .

However as I am O neg, it was also in my pregnancy notes.
I was informed of both my children's blood groups at birth .

Yes , ‘A’ rhesus Positive.

I had a yellow card issued by the National Transfusion Service in 1983 and it says on the back “carry this card with you at all times”.
I don’t as it would probably be disintegrated by now - but I do have it registered as a Contact in my phone - and a photo image of the card is on the phone - and my family know it is there.
(I store my Nhs number in my phone too)

Just to add, there is also the blood group diet which is very interesting to read. The idea is that some foods are better for you depending on your blood group. Others cannot be processed very well by your body and should be avoided. This can also affect your weight. It's fascinating because I naturally seem to lean towards some of the recommended foods (before seeing the book!) They seem to agree with me. A friend of mine is very allergic to dairy products and is advised for her group to avoid dairy. I've found a lot of truth in the things they recommend.

AB+. Blood group diet sounds interesting. Will check it out.

Aveline

AB+. Blood group diet sounds interesting. Will check it out.

You are AB like me. You are good with dairy products and coffee! Lamb, mutton, turkey and rabbit are the best types of meat. I naturally like lamb and turkey, and cod and trout for fish, also on my list. Chestnuts, peanuts and walnuts are beneficial nuts, so you can go to town on the peanut butter!
The book is much more detailed!

I have to carry a card with my blood group, so I have known it since my early teens.

A+ here. I was a blood donor years ago but had to give up due to frequent anaemia. Strange thing is, my twin sister is a different blood group, in fact a rare one though I can't remember what it is. We've been told there was only one placenta - could that possibly be true? It's beyond my small brain.

B+

I have the very useful O negative. I haven't given blood for a long time, with a history of low haemoglobun. When DS2 was 18, I went along with him and they couldn't find my veins! When I was teaching in Kenya, the local mission hospital sent an SOS to the school for O neg blood and I took a couple of our seniors with me. Unfortunately I never found out - nor did I ask - if the child who needed the blood survived.

lovebeigecardigans If twins are identical and share a placenta I can't see it's possible to be different blood groups. You have come from the same egg. If not identical and didn't share a placenta then probably you could be different as you are from two different eggs and are like any other sisters.

haemoglobin!

Chestnut

Aveline

AB+. Blood group diet sounds interesting. Will check it out.

You are AB like me. You are good with dairy products and coffee! Lamb, mutton, turkey and rabbit are the best types of meat. I naturally like lamb and turkey, and cod and trout for fish, also on my list. Chestnuts, peanuts and walnuts are beneficial nuts, so you can go to town on the peanut butter!
The book is much more detailed!

What's the source for this? I honestly can't see how it can be true, but I'm willing to be persuaded by a proper scientist. I must admit it sounds like mumbo jumbo

I agree with Chestnut you must be identical twins if only one placenta, so don't see your blood groups can be different
I have identical twins, from one placenta

Georgesgran

I’m the same as growstuff - all to do with a lack of irregular antibodies, apparently.

Unusual rather than irregular. People with AB blood have A and B antigens on the surface of blood cells. Their plasma does not have any antibodies, which would destroy the antigens. That's why AB plasma can be used for anybody (although Rhesus + blood can't be used on people with Rhesus - blood). Females can develop antibodies in their plasma when they are pregnant, which is why female AB plasma is almost never used.

I have just found out mine at the age of 60 plus!
It's AB +ve. I was shocked, i always thought it was O.
(Just had a knee op and the hospital told me then)

yes i know as I've been pregnant and had operations

Growstuff What's the source for this? I honestly can't see how it can be true, but I'm willing to be persuaded by a proper scientist. I must admit it sounds like mumbo jumbo
There's a whole book with a lot of detail. Called 'Eat Right for Your Type' by Dr Peter J D'Adamo with Catherine Whitney. I dip into it as a reference book, and tend towards following it but certainly not rigidly. Foods are listed under groups, dairy, meat, grains etc. and then shown as highly beneficial, neutral or avoid.
I believe Cliff Richard is an advocate!

I'm AB+ and did give blood in the early 1960s. I was told it was quite a rare group.

I used to get a letter saying what my blood had been used for e.g. given to a road traffic accident victim during an operation. They stopped doing that though fairly soon after I started donating.

When I started having daily asthma steroid inhalers they would not take my blood anymore.

He's a naturopath, not a doctor. Just been reading up about it and none of it has much evidence.

I would never change my diet on the basis of a book like that.

Gagagran

I'm AB+ and did give blood in the early 1960s. I was told it was quite a rare group.

I used to get a letter saying what my blood had been used for e.g. given to a road traffic accident victim during an operation. They stopped doing that though fairly soon after I started donating.

When I started having daily asthma steroid inhalers they would not take my blood anymore.

They won't take it from you anyway, as you're female and AB+.

I found out mine - B+ - after a miscarriage.

... unless you happen to live near Glasgow.

www.scotblood.co.uk/news/pioneering-new-ab-serum-pilot-launched/