Blood Types

Group 0- is the famous universal donor. Get this name because people with this blood group are compatible with all types of blood. Therefore, it is the type of blood most demanded by hospitals.

It is essential to know what our blood type is, also called the blood group. There are 4 main blood types: A, B, 0 and AB0, which are determined by the presence or absence of certain proteins on the surface of red blood cells, some blood cells.

In addition, each person also has a blood type based on Rh positive or Rh negative, depending on the presence or absence of another antigen or protein in the red blood cells.

As we have said, it is very important that you know your blood type if you want to donate, for example. Also, if you are in an emergency situation and need a transfusion, you will need to know your blood group so that they can give you the same blood type.

Next, we will look more closely at the different characteristics of different blood types.

A positive (A+)

Group A positive is one of the most common blood types. 1 in 3 people is A +; or, what is the same, 35.7% of the population.

People who are A positive can donate blood to others in their group as well as to people in the AB positive group. This is because they share the same type of proteins, so the body will not attack the new cells, as it recognizes them as its own.

In the case of receiving a transfusion, A + people can receive blood from groups A and 0. Donors of this type of blood are advised to donate whole blood and platelets.

A negative (A-)

In this case, the percentage of people A negative is reduced to 6.3%, that is, 1 in 16 people in the population share this blood group.

To donate blood, they can do it to people who are:

• A-
• A+
• AB +
• AB-

However, they can only receive blood from people A- or 0-. Donors in this group are advised to donate whole blood and double red blood cells.

B positive (B +)

8.5% of the population, or 1 in 12 people has type B +. Type B + donors can donate to people of type B + and AB +. In this sense, this population group can receive blood from any of the blood types B or 0.

Type B + blood donors can achieve the greatest impact with donations of whole blood and double red blood cells.

B negative (B-)

We continue to reduce the number of people, being 1 in 67 who have this type of blood, that is, 1.5% of the general population.

People B negative can be blood donors to people with blood type B positive, B negative, AB positive and AB negative. As with the previous group, they can only receive blood from people with the same blood type or from 0-.

As for the advice when it comes to donating, it is advisable for B positive people to donate whole blood or platelets.

0 positive (0+)

Above the positive A, the positive 0 is found. It is the most common blood type and represents 37.4% of the population.

People with 0+ can donate blood to all positive blood types. However, they can only receive blood from other 0+ or ​​0-. Donors with this type of blood are advised to donate double red blood cells and whole blood.

0 negative (0-)

This is the famous universal donor. Get this name because people with this blood group are compatible with all types of blood. Therefore, it is the type of blood most demanded by hospitals.

The percentage of people 0- represent 6.6% of the population, which is the same as saying that 1 in 15 people are 0-.

Although they can donate to anyone, they can only receive blood from people in the same blood group, 0-.  It is recommended that they donate double red blood cells and whole blood.

AB positive (AB+)

AB + is the rarest blood type, with only 1 in 29 people, which translates into 3.4% of the global population.

Unlike 0-, AB + people can only give other AB + receptors, but they can receive any type of blood, so it is the universal blood receptor.

AB negative (AB-)

This group constitutes the rarest of all blood types. Only 0.6% of the population has it. AB-blood type can donate to AB- and AB + and can receive from all negative blood types.

Donors of blood type AB- are advised to donate platelets and plasma.

If you would like to donate blood, learn more about your blood type and the donation procedures. It's a good way to become a daily superhero and save lives!