Are you a blood donor - or not?? Reasons why...

[mrscoltsever]

I used to but then I had to have a transfusion after having my twins 3 months ago. I really wish i could so that I could give something back, say thanks for what I had and what my babies had when they were really ill. My husband donates though, because he is so thank full and like me wants to give something back.

[small_hall]

i went to donate blood a couple of weeks ago and i was turned away as they were unable to find a suitable vein. Mine are too small

 

I am disappointed as i would like to donate

[CarolW]

if i have -O blood does that mean that one of my parents has to have negative blood group as well? don;t get it!!

 

Hi, LNRV, blood groups are inherited from the parents....

 

BUT....

 

Because you're O Rh Neg, doesn't mean that your parents have to be O Rh Neg as well......

 

The genes for the A, B, AB, O blood groups are found on one chromosome, the genes for Rh blood group are found on another

 

Because group O is a "recessive" group, parents who are both either group A or B can have a group O child (the O gene would be hidden by the A or B gene, but they would still be able to pass it on to their child).

 

Parents who are both group O can't have a child with group A or B (or only in extremely and very very rare circumstances!!!!) because they don't have either an A or B gene to pass on.

 

If one parent is group AB, they have to pass on either an A or a B gene, so any child cannot be a group O (or again, only in very very rare circumstances!!!!)

 

In the same way, Rh Neg is also a "recessive" group, so parents who are both Rh Pos can have an Rh Neg child, while parents who are both Rh neg would not be able to have an Rh Pos child (did I mention very very rare circumstances????!!!!!! - there's always exceptions to every rule!!!!)

 

Hope this helps... :)

 

Hope it makes sense!!!!!!!!!

[Siam]

yes i am and i love givin blood and am a ab rh positive : )

[Truffles]

I used to give blood but i was diagnosed with Lupus SLE so i don't know if i can anymore.

[CarolW]

I used to give blood but i was diagnosed with Lupus SLE so i don't know if i can anymore.

 

Hi, Truffles, I don't think you would be able to give blood any more (sorry!!! ) Lupus is an auto-immune condition, if you have treatment for it, you would probably have to be deferred...

 

Try ringing the centre in Sheffield and ask.....

[Agent Orange]

I need to get involved in this again. I used to be a regular, but haven't been for over a year. I have neglected this little thing and really should try and get myself motivated to go once more.

[Plain Talker]

Hi, LNRV, blood groups are inherited from the parents....

 

BUT....

 

Because you're O Rh Neg, doesn't mean that your parents have to be O Rh Neg as well......

 

The genes for the A, B, AB, O blood groups are found on one chromosome, the genes for Rh blood group are found on another

 

Because group O is a "recessive" group, parents who are both either group A or B can have a group O child (the O gene would be hidden by the A or B gene, but they would still be able to pass it on to their child).

 

Parents who are both group O can't have a child with group A or B (or only in extremely and very very rare circumstances!!!!) because they don't have either an A or B gene to pass on.

 

If one parent is group AB, they have to pass on either an A or a B gene, so any child cannot be a group O (or again, only in very very rare circumstances!!!!)

 

In the same way, Rh Neg is also a "recessive" group, so parents who are both Rh Pos can have an Rh Neg child, while parents who are both Rh neg would not be able to have an Rh Pos child (did I mention very very rare circumstances????!!!!!! - there's always exceptions to every rule!!!!)

 

Hope this helps... :)

 

Hope it makes sense!!!!!!!!!

 

My mother was A rh-, my father is O rh+ I and my two sisters are all A rh+, it caused no ends of problems for my mother with anaemia etc. She had to have blood transfusions when she was pregnant with my sister because of the reactions between the opposing rhesus factors.

[hard2miss]

Give blood and am on the bone marrow register.

 

EVERYONE should concider it !

[CarolW]

My mother was A rh-, my father is O rh+ I and my two sisters are all A rh+, it caused no ends of problems for my mother with anaemia etc. She had to have blood transfusions when she was pregnant with my sister because of the reactions between the opposing rhesus factors.

 

This is something that we test for in our lab..... If an Rh Neg mother is carrying an Rh Pos baby and cells from the baby leak into the mother's circulation, then the mother's immune system sees these cells as "foreign" and starts fighting them by producing antibodies. If the antibodies are strong enough, they can then cross through the placenta and start attacking the baby's cells.

 

The first Rh Pos child is normally unaffected (unless there's a bleed early on in the pregnancy) because this sort of cell leakage usually happens at delivery. Once pregnant with a second Rh Pos child, the antibodies are already there..........

 

It's why Rh Neg women get a shot of Anti-D at 28 weeks pregnancy and at delivery, or if they've had any sort of trauma, to mop up any of the baby's red cells before the mother's immune system can respond....!!!!

 

If these antibodies are found early enough in our lab testing ( we test about 150 samples each day - most don't have anything in them!!!) then the mother can be monitored, paternal samples taken to see what risk there is for the baby and any medical intervention can be well planned!!!

 

Now.... I'd better get to work!!!!!! :hihi: