You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). find out if you're eligible for blood donation.Visit the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood website or call 13 14 95 to: It can also be turned into different medical treatments, depending on which blood type you have. People with type AB or type B can donate plasma, which is vital for patients with:ĭonating blood'can save someone else's life. Whole blood from type A, type O positive and type O negative is always needed. This neutralises your baby's rhesus positive blood cells in your blood stream before your immune system produces antibodies. It can be prevented by treating you with anti-D immunoglobin. This can lead to severe anaemia or death. Rhesus factor disease is when your immune cells attack your baby's rhesus positive cells. You may have a Rhesus negative blood type while your unborn baby has a Rhesus positive blood type. If you have a different blood type to your baby, you may need treatment while pregnant. It is also possible for a pregnant person and their baby to have incompatible blood types. However, it is extremely rare for this to happen. Receiving the wrong blood type in a transfusion can be life threatening and you would need treatment quickly. This is because O- blood has no antigens, and can be safely given to anyone. If you need a blood transfusion, in an emergency and there is no time to match your blood type, you will be given O- blood. This means that when your immune system recognises the donor blood cells, it could attack them. If you need a blood transfusion, you will have your blood tested for blood group and antibodies to make sure the donor blood you receive is compatible with your blood.īlood from a different blood type has different antigens on the blood cells.

help others when there are blood shortages.

Knowing your blood type means that you can: More than 4 out of 5 Australians are Rhesus positive.

Rhesus-negative - you don't have the RhD antigen.

Rhesus-positive - you have the RhD antigen.

The Rhesus group or Rh group contains around 50 different antigens that can be found on the surface of your red blood cells.Įach of the 4 blood groups can be classified as either: O- blood can be safely given to anyone, regardless of their blood type.

what blood types they are compatible with.

how common they are across the Australian population.

The table below lists each of the blood types, including: The most common blood type in Australia is O positive (O+) and the least common is AB negative (AB-). These names indicate whether your red blood cells carry the: There are 4 different blood types - A, B, AB and O. Your blood group depends on your ABO group, and your Rhesus group. Your blood type is decided by the genes you inherit from your parents. These chemical structures are called antigens. Your blood type (or blood group) is determined by the chemical structures on the outside of your red blood cells.

Related information on Australian websites.

If you have a blood transfusion that is incompatible with your blood type, your immune system will attack it.Your blood type has two parts – the ABO group and the Rhesus group.Your blood group is determined by genes passed to you by your parents.Your blood type is determined by antigens on the outside of your blood cells.

O negative blood type diet chart