Blood Group Test (ABO Rh Typing)

Blood group testing is important for:

• Blood donations
• Blood transfusions
• Organ donation

Receiving blood from a wrong blood group, may trigger a severe immune response as the antibodies react against the foreign particles which can at times even be fatal.

Abo rh test measures the presence of antigen (A, B antigen) and Rh factor in the blood. Based on this, the blood group type is determined. 

The blood sample is taken from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a  little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.

1. Type A: Those with blood group A have presence of antigen A and antibody against B. Thus, they can receive blood from people with blood group A and blood group O. But, can donate blood only to those with blood group A.
2. Type B: Those with blood group B have presence of antigen B and antibody against A. Thus, they can receive blood from people with blood group B and blood group O. But, can donate blood only to those with blood group B.
3. Type AB: Those with blood group AB have presence of antigen A and antigen B. Thus, they can receive blood from people with blood group A, blood group B, blood group AB and blood group O. They are known as universal receivers. But, can donate blood only to those with blood group AB.
4. Type O: Those with blood group O have no antigen. Thus, they can donate blood to all blood groups. They are known as universal donors. But, they have presence of antibodies against A and B. Hence, can receive blood only from type O blood group.
5. Rh+ : Rh factor protein is present on the surface, hence they can receive blood from those with Rh+ and Rh-. Rh- : Rh factor protein is absent on the surface, hence they can receive blood only from those with Rh-.

If the mother is Rh negative and conceives a child who is Rh positive, it could lead to RH incompatibility in which the mother's blood when in contact with the fetal blood can develop antibodies against the fetal RBCs. These antibodies can cross the placenta and destroy the fetal RBCs which can lead to a hemolytic disease in which the fetus has extremely low levels of RBCs.

When an individual's RBC lacks the basic H antigen, they have a blood type known as a Bombay blood group. These people also lack A and B antigens, as the development of these antigens requires the presence of the H antigen. Persons with the Bombay blood group can only receive blood from people with the same blood group since their bodies can acquire antibodies to antigens A, B, and H.

A person with O negative blood group does not have any antigen on their RBCs and so infusing their blood in someone's body will not lead to the formation of any antibodies therefore they can safely donate blood to people with any blood group.

You cannot be a blood donor if you have sexually transmitted diseases like HIV positive, have or are carriers for diseases like Hepatitis B or C carrier, or have taken injections with drugs.

Blood typing involves two steps:

1. Forward typing: Your healthcare provider obtains a small amount of blood sample from you which is tested against two solutions- one having antibodies against the A antigen (Anti-A) and one with antibodies against the B antigen (Anti-B). If your RBCs have the A antigen when the blood sample is added to the anti-A solution, the blood cells will clump together and this process is called agglutination. This will mean that you have an A type of blood group. If this happens only for anti-B, then your blood group is B. If your blood reacts for both Anti-A and Anti-B solution, then you have AB blood group and if there is no reaction for both, it is O-type blood.
2. Reverse typing: In this second step, the plasma of the blood is mixed with type A and type B blood separately to check the reaction. The occurrence or the absence of agglutination confirms the results of forward typing.

This test is used to determine the Rhesus blood type. In this test, the blood sample is mixed with a solution having antibodies for the Rhesus factor. The blood reacting to the Rh antibodies with agglutination hints at the fact that the blood is Rh-positive and if there is no reaction then it is an Rh-Negative blood type

• Blood Grouping Test
• ABO Blood Typing
• Rhesus Typing

A blood group test is a medical test used to determine an individual's blood type, which is classified according to the presence or absence of specific antigens on the surface of red blood cells.

The blood group test detects the presence or absence of A and B antigens and the RhD antigen on the surface of red blood cells, classifying the blood into one of the eight main blood types.

The reports indicate the individual's blood type (A, B, AB, or O) and Rh status (positive or negative), which is crucial for determining compatibility for transfusions and other medical procedures.

A "positive" result in the context of blood typing usually refers to the presence of the RhD antigen, indicating Rh-positive blood. This means the individual can receive Rh-positive or Rh-negative blood but can only donate to other Rh-positive individuals.

There are four main ABO blood groups: A, B, AB, and O, each with a possible Rh-positive or Rh-negative classification, resulting in eight main blood types.

Checking blood group at home is not recommended as it requires specialized equipment and expertise. Blood typing should be performed by a healthcare professional in a clinical setting to ensure accuracy and safety.

No, receiving blood from an incompatible blood type can trigger a severe immune response. Compatibility rules depend on the ABO and Rh blood group systems.

Yes, blood grouping tests are routine during pregnancy, especially to determine the Rh status of the mother and the potential need for medical interventions if there is Rh incompatibility.

The benefits include ensuring safe blood transfusions, preventing severe immune reactions, facilitating compatible organ transplants, and guiding medical management during pregnancy to protect the baby from Rh incompatibility complications.

The risks associated with the blood group test are minimal and primarily related to the blood draw process, such as fainting, multiple punctures, excessive bleeding, hematoma, or infection.

The blood group test itself does not diagnose diseases but is crucial for ensuring compatibility in blood transfusions and preventing complications such as hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) in cases of Rh incompatibility during pregnancy.

Medications generally do not affect the blood group test results, as the test detects inherent antigens on red blood cells.

Fasting is not necessary before the blood group test. You can take the test at any time without the need for special preparation.

The results of the blood group test are based on the genetic presence or absence of specific antigens on red blood cells and are not affected by external factors such as diet, medications, or environmental conditions.

Blood group test results can typically be determined after 6 hours, as the test involves simple antigen-antibody reactions that can be observed quickly.