Understanding Blood Group Testing: Types, Procedure, and Associated Costs

Your blood group is determined with the help of a specific antigen in the blood. Finding your blood group is easy. It can be done by asking your doctor to do a test before you donate blood, and there are some at-home blood tests also that can help you understand your blood group. Your blood consists of two major groups, ABO and Rh; the type is primarily based on the antigens on the surface of your red blood cells. These antigens trigger an immune reaction in your body against that substance.

How to Determine Your Blood Type?

There are four designated types of the ABO blood group:

• Type A: This type of blood group contains antigen A.
• Type B: This type of blood group has antigen B.
• Type AB: This includes both antigen A and antigen B.
• Type O: This includes neither antigen A nor antigen B.

Once the technician determines your ABO blood type during a blood group test, they conduct further testing to understand the Rh factor of your blood.

• Rh-positive: If the test reveals that you have the Rh antigen on the surface of your red blood cells, you are said to have an Rh-positive blood group
• Rh-negative: If you do not have the Rh-antigen on the surface of your red blood cells, your blood is said to be Rh-negative.

After including the Rh factor, your blood group test results will show one of the eight possible blood groups, including A+ or A-, B+ or B-, AB+ or AB-, and O+ and O-.

How Is Blood Typing Done?

The technician who draws blood, the phlebotomist, will use a sterilised needle to draw blood from your hand or arm. This test can be done at your doctor's office, a clinical laboratory or a hospital.

There are two steps involved in the process of blood group typing.

Forward Typing

This is the first step in the blood group testing process; your cells are first mixed with antibodies type A and B blood. This sample is then checked to see whether the blood cells agglutinate, that is, if they stick together. If they stick together, it will mean that your blood has reacted to one of the antibodies. Here is how to read the blood group testing results

If the blood cells agglutinate when mixed with antibodies against type B blood, then you have type B blood.

If your blood cells agglutinate when mixed with antibodies against type A blood, then you have blood type A.

Reverse Typing

The second step in a blood group test is reverse typing or back typing. In this step, the liquid part of the blood or the serum, the part without the red blood cells, is mixed with blood cells whose blood group is known to be A or B.

People with type A blood have antibodies against type B in their serum and vice versa. If your serum agglutinates when mixed with type B blood, you have type A blood. In the same way, if the serum agglutinates when combined with style A blood, you have type B blood.

People with the type O blood group have both anti-A and anti-B types of antibodies.

Summary and Rh Typing

Most blood group tests include forward and reverse typing to ensure accurate blood group test results. Once these tests are completed, your blood sample is mixed with an anti-Rh serum; if the cells respond by forming clumps, your blood group is Rh-positive.

Importance of Blood Group Testing

Antigens are usually the source of the disease and the solution, as this usually determines how your immune system reacts. Knowing your blood type is crucial before donating or receiving blood; it is also vital information when finding an organ donor.

Suppose an individual with blood type A receives blood or an organ from individuals with blood type B. In that case, the recipient's body will recognize the A-type antigen as a foreign body and reject anything received during the procedure. This is the same in the case of a person with blood type B receiving an organ for blood from someone with blood type A.

Those with blood group AB are universal recipients and can receive blood from individuals with blood A and B. On the other hand, those with blood group O can only accept blood from individuals with blood group O. The Rh factor also acts in the same way and is highly immunogenic.

Blood Group Testing Price

It is relatively affordable to get your blood group tested in India. Most hospitals, clinics, or diagnostic labs have the required equipment to carry out the test and the cost of it can be anywhere between INR 50 and 240, depending on the place you choose.

Precautions When Carrying Out a Blood Group Test

A blood group test is a simple procedure that does not need too much equipment making the risk of getting incorrect results low. However, it is still prone to human error, so you must ensure you visit a reputed lab or an excellent doctor to carry out the test.

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In Summary

Everyone needs to know their blood group; although it is usually checked as soon as you are born and carried out when donating blood or before an operation, knowing your blood group will help in emergencies.

Metropolis Labs is one of the leading diagnostic centres in India and provides a wide array of tests that you can avail of from the comfort of your home. Their highly trained technicians will visit your home to collect the sample before sending it to the lab for further testing. Check out their entire range of tests that will benefit you most.