Different Types of Blood Tests You Should Know About

Blood type is really important to check for the absence or presence of antigens and antibodies on RBCs’ surface (Red Blood Cells). 4 unique blood types you can find termed as O, AB, B and A.

Always be careful during transfusion as wrong group can prove to be fatal. Sometimes it can also cause life-threatening conditions. Therefore blood type test assists in determination of categories of blood. So you can receive or transfuse safely and seek treatment for any condition in its most efficient manner.    

ABO blood groups

ABO groups present on RBC’s surface and specific antigen identifies it. Type A possesses A antigens and type B possesses B antigens. You can find someone with both A and B antigen known as AB and the person with no antigen is type O.

Every person possesses antibodies in the serum. A blood serum comprises of antibodies B and vice versa. On the other hand, AB serum lacks from antibodies and O has both B and A antibodies at the same time. 

In case of any mismatch, serum activates and detects the fault result in agglutination. As a result, you will experience life-threatening and severe blood clots in the body.

Type O has both B and A antigens and so the persons having this type can receive blood of both A and B type. Universal donors as they have called lack from antigens and so antibodies in the serum of the receiver will not agglutinate at the time of type O transfusion.  

Rhesus blood groups

Every blood consists of 2 classifications- negative and positive. It helps in the identification whereas the person possesses Rh (Rhesus factor) antigens in the blood. If they have then the individuals are Rh positive otherwise Rh negative. Also it encourages the blood type one can receive.

Remember only the persons with Rh positive accept both negative and positive blood. But those with Rh negative have to accept the blood with the no antigens. Otherwise, it can lead to agglutination. 

In what ways blood group can be determined?

Blood type determination is necessary in numerous conditions especially at the time of pregnancy, during organ transplant, blood transfusion and donation. Blood group determination involves 2 stages called ABO typing. The very first stage also known as forward typing is detecting the solutions of the antibodies in the blood.

A and B are common antibodies found in RBCs. The collected specimen will pour into both A and B antibodies solution to check agglutination. Accordingly the blood group determination gets over! For instance, the sample with antigen A will agglutinate with antigen B solution and vice versa. But if the blood lacks antigen then it is termed as ‘O’ group.  

For maintaining the accuracy of the private blood type test, pathologist carries out reverse typing. This method involves of combination of plasma with both type B- and A-antigen solution. Clumping ensures the category of the blood and result will dispatch.

Identification of Rh typing is much similar to that of the ABO typing. In this case, the collected sample will mix with the RhD antibodies solution to receive the confirmation.  

Pregnancy

Pregnant women need to undergo blood test no matter what! Frequent blood tests are important if the child in the foetus has positive RhD and mother is of negative RhD. As a result, the RBCs of the baby can transmit into the blood of mother through placenta. This can result in the development of antibodies against antigens of Rh.

It never causes any harm to unborn child. However in many pregnancies where the baby is RhD positive it attacks the blood cells of the babies causing severe anaemia as birth defect. Medical term is Haemolytic disease, this can prove to be fatal if remain unaddressed. Sometimes it develops during mismatches in ABO types. Remember that these are not severe conditions at all.    

Future of the ABO typing

With each passing days, new strategies are evolving to check the blood group. Genotyping blood group is essential for determining the blood groups nature. It is mostly important for the patients suffering from autoimmune disorders and need in chemotherapy or transfusion therapy. Genotyping blood group provides detailed information of blood group antigen nature on erythrocyte’s surface. This eradicates the ambiguity associated with any serological method. 

Till today traditional blood group genotyping is regarded as efficient and reliable. More sustainable and focused research is needed for progressing in the development of synthetic antibodies.

Also assurance is must that they are able to recognise various ABO groups. By this way, blood groups genotyping will mature with the help of robust technology. Click here to schedule an appointment and undergo blood type test in London from our clinic!

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