How to Find Out Your Blood Type

You should always know your blood type in case of an accident, or a member of your family needs an organ transplant. Some babies are given their blood type at the hospital when they are born. Why they may need a blood transfusion. Or, they may have type negative blood and their mother is positive. What happens is they called the baby RH Negative, their blood cells may be destroyed if the mother's blood cells attack the baby's. The baby is usually yellow looking of their eyes are yellow. They may need to give the baby a transfusion at once. You should also know your blood type in case someone in your family needs bone transplant or other organs transplanted. You need to know the 4 types of blood, and if you are positive or negative.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Card with blood type on it.
• Place where you can check your blood type.
• Check at a laboratory or clinic.
• Check at a blood center.
• Check at your doctor's office.

1. Giving blood will mean that you may need to fast (go without eating for 3 - 4 hours). The food will still be in your blood streams, and show up as fat. The person receiving the blood may have a reaction from receiving the blood. The blood must be refrigerated at all time. Imagine receiving cold blood in your veins. That this may cause a reaction.

2. If you only want to find out your blood type, you will probably have to pay for the laboratory service. They may take a blood sample with a syringe from your vein, and also run other test with the blood.

3. If you want to know what blood types there are you can ask the blood bank, and they will tell you. Type O, the common or universal type. Type A the second most common, type B, a rare blood type, and type AB, the rarest blood type. Type O can be given in an emergency, if your specific type is not available. You may have a reaction, because other factors are involved in the transfusion of the blood. Type O can only received type O blood. You can only receive your same RH factor, RH negative, or RH positive. Remember there are cells containing your blood type and the
   liquid or plasma, contains the RH factor.

Tips & Warnings

• Your blood type on a card should be carried in your wallet of accessible for easy usage.
• Take someone with you if you think that you are going to faint with giving blood, or become dizzy.
• Calm your children and explain why they are going to find our their blood type.
• Make sure you get a good nights sleep before giving blood.
• Eat a hearty meal after giving blood.
• Get plenty of rest after giving blood.
• Remember you have about 12 pints of blood, and you will be losing one pint of blood.
• Drink plenty of fluids after giving blood.

[johnsk]

on 8/17/2009 Step 1 seems wrong, I am donating blood and have been told by the doctor to make sure I eat something before i donate as to not give blood on an empty stomach.
Also in Step 3 - "You can only receive your same RH factor, RH negative, or RH positive." - This is wrong as you can receive RH positive and negative if you are RH positive but only RH negative if you are RH negative.