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Blood groups
Thecirculatorysystemconsistsoftheheart,bloodvesselsandblood.Thebloodstreamcarries oxygenandnutrientstoeachcell,andpicksupwasteproducts(suchascarbondioxide)for elimination.Thebulkofbloodistheliquidplasma.Floatinginthisplasmaareredbloodcellsthat carryoxygen,whitebloodcellsthatformpartoftheimmunesystem,andclottingagentscalled platelets.Therearedifferentwaystoclassifyblood.Thetwomajorformsofclassificationinclude theABOsystemandtheRhesus(Rh)typesystem,characteristicsthatareinheritedindependently. Together,theycomprisetheeightmainbloodgroups.Otherbloodgroupsystemsexistand,to date,researchershaveidentifiedaround300minorfactors. The ABO group ThefourdifferentbloodgroupsareA,B,ABandO.Aperson'sbloodgroupisdeterminedbyapair ofgenes,oneeachinheritedfromtheirmotherandfather.Eachbloodgroupisidentifiedbyitsown setofcomplicatedchemicalsubstances-calledantigens-locatedonthesurfacesofredblood cells.Whenapersonneedsabloodtransfusion,itisimportantthatthedonatedbloodmatches theirparticularbloodgroup.Amismatchcancauseseriouscomplications The Rhesus factor Aperson'sRhesustypeisalsodeterminedbyapairofgenes,eachoneinheritedfromoneparent. BloodiseitherRh-positiveorRh-negative,dependingonwhetherornotcertainmoleculesare present.ApersonwhoisRh-negativewillexperienceasevereimmunesystemreactionifRhpositivebloodgetsintotheirbloodstream.Thiscanhappenduringchildbirth,ifanRh-negative womangivesbirthtoanRh-positivebaby.Ifbloodcellsfromthebabytravelacrosstheplacenta, thewoman'simmunesystemwillregardtheRh-positivecellsasathreat.Specialisedwhiteblood cellswillmakeantibodiesdesignedtokillRh-positivebloodcells.Ifthewomansubsequently conceivesanotherRh-positivebaby,herimmunesystemwillfloodherchildwithantibodies.These antibodiesthendestroythebaby'sredbloodcells.Ifleftuntreated,thiscanresultinsevere anaemiaorevendeath. Preventing Rhesus disease Rhesusdiseaseisnowrare,sinceRh-negativemotherswhogivebirthtoRh-positivebabiesare immunisedwithin72hoursofgivingbirth.Theimmuneglobulinpreparationworksbykillingthe baby'sredbloodcellsinsidethemother'sbloodstreambeforeherimmunesystemhastimeto react. Blood transfusion Abloodtransfusionisthetransferofbloodfromonepersontoanother.Thedonatedbloodmust matchtherecipient'sbloodtype,orcomplicationswilloccur.Generally,bothreceivingand donatingbloodaresafemedicalprocedures.Forinstance,Onegativebloodcanbegivento anybodyifnecessary,butitisalwayspreferabletomatchtheexactbloodgroup.Thedifferent typesofbloodtransfusionincludehomologous(wholebloodtransfusion)andaphaeresis(only certaincomponents-suchasplatelets-aretransfused). Blood groups in Australia Aperson'sbloodgroupisdescribedbytheappropriateletter(A,B,ABorO)andbywhetherornot theirbloodisRhesuspositiveornegative.AccordingtotheRedCross,thepercentageofblood groupfrequencyinAustraliais: O positive-40percent O negative-9percent A positive-31percent A negative-7percent B positive-8percent B negative-2percent AB positive-2percent AB negative-1percent

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Bloodgroups

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Where to get help Yourdoctor AustralianRedCrossBloodServiceTel.131495

Things to remember

ThetwomajorclassificationsofbloodincludetheABOsystemandtheRhesustypesystem. ThefourbloodgroupsareA,B,ABandO,andeachcanbeRhesuspositiveorRhesus negative. Donorbloodmustmatchtherecipient'sbloodgroup,orseriousreactionscanoccur.

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AustralianRedCrossBloodService

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Bloodgroups

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