Importance of Knowing Your and Your Loved Ones’ Blood Type
People have different blood types. Usually, you would know what blood type you have through blood typing test. It’s a laboratory examination where you give the clinic a blood sample and they determine the platelets and red blood composition in your blood.
It is important that you and your loved ones should know your blood type for the following reasons:
• When you meet accident and you need supply of blood, you can get donors from your loved ones. However, you cannot just get any blood. The blood that should be transfused to you should match the blood type you have. Otherwise, there would be adverse consequence if your blood type does not match with the blood type that was supplied to you. The indication of mismatch is jaundice or yellowish pigmentation of the skin and eyes.
• Aside from blood supply, an organ transfusion also requires blood type compatibility. If you know your blood type and that of your loved ones, you will have an idea if the organ that your loved ones have will be acceptable or not. If your loved ones have a blood type that do not match yours, he or she cannot be a donor for organ transfusion.
• When finding a mate, you should have matching blood types. Otherwise, it would have an effect on the baby. A baby that is born with blood type mismatch will experience jaundice upon birth. Eventually, it will affect the baby’s immune system in which case the baby may be prone to different types of infection.
In other words, it is important to know blood types to avoid mismatch in emergency cases. It is even important that you get a blood type ID where you take note of your blood type in cases of accidents and emergencies. Some laboratories issue blood type ID where you can carry it everywhere you go.
In emergency cases, you can actually get type O blood type since this is the most versatile type. This can be matched with any other types. However, careful attention should still be taken since there could be risks on this. As much as possible, medical practitioners want to get matched blood types to avoid any risks. Type A blood donor can be matched with blood type A and type AB receiver. Likewise, type B donor can be matched with type B and type AB receiver but not from type A donor. This means that a person with blood type AB can receive both type A and type B. This makes AB a universal receiver.
Again, a type O blood can be donated to anyone. In cases of emergency and when only blood type O is available, this can be accepted. However, what should be noted is that a person in emergency case, whose blood type is type O, should only receive blood that is type O and none other. Type O is a universal donor but not a universal receiver.
Knowing these compatibility with your loved ones can help you prepare in emergency cases. Also, it is important that when you look for a mate, you should have matching blood types for you to have pure and healthy baby.
