Part I. ABO and Rh Blood AntigensRh antigen

No Rh antigens

Blood type Rh+

Blood type Rh-

Part II. Blood Plasma Antibodies

What class of antibodies do the naturally occuring anti-A and anti-B antibodies belong to?

*If you have type A blood, you can receive blood transfusions from people with types A and O blood.

*If you have type B blood, you can receive blood transfusions from people with types B and O blood.

*If you have type AB blood, you can receive blood transfusions from people with types A, B, AB, and O blood.

*If you have type O blood, you can receive blood transfusions from people with type O blood only.

*If you have Rh-positive blood, you can receive transfusions from people with types Rh-positive and Rh-negative blood.

*If you have Rh-negative blood, you can receive transfusions from people with type Rh-negative blood only.

Part III. Blood Transfusions

Donor’s red blood cell antigens must be compatible with recipient’s anti-A and/or anti-B antibodies

Part IV. Blood TypingIf your blood cells stick together only when mixed with anti-A serum, you have type A blood.

If your blood cells stick together only when mixed with anti-B serum, you have type B blood.

If your blood cells stick together when they are mixed with both anti-A and anti-B serums, you have type AB blood.

If your blood cells do not stick together in the presence of either serum, you have type O blood.

Rh

Rh

If your blood cells stick together when mixed with anti-Rh serum, you have type Rh-positive blood.

If your blood does not clot when mixed with anti-Rh serum, you have type Rh-negative blood.

1: Rh incompatibility occurs when the mother's blood type is Rh negative and her fetus' blood type is Rh positive.

Part V. Rh Incompatibility

2: If some of the fetus' blood passes into the mother's blood stream (such as during birth), her body will produce antibodies in response. She will also have immunological “memory.”

3: These antibodies could pass back through the placenta and harm the fetus' red blood cells, causing mild to serious anemia in the fetus.

The Rhogam shot is given before and after birth. It contains preformed antibodies against the Rh antigen. These antibodies will destroy all the fetal Rh+ blood cells that leak back into the mother’s blood during birth. This keeps the mother from processing the Rh antigen and developing memory.

Part VI. Genetics of the ABO Blood Group

Part VII. Rh Blood Genetics