Child's blood type calculator: What is the blood group?
Blood type calculator: What's your child's blood type?
Blood is a liquid tissue. It is important for human life in several ways. Examples are the transport of respiratory gases, nutrients, vitamins, minerals or components of the immune system.
It consists of blood plasma as well as several blood elements, cells, and thus blood cells.
- red blood cells - erythrocytes,
- white blood cells - leukocytes,
- blood platelets - thrombocytes.
Red blood cells also carry information about their type, i.e. blood group, on their surface. Another important piece of information is the presence of antibodies in the plasma.
There are approximately 50 known systems for dividing blood into blood types. However, the most important ones, and the most important for transfusion or organ donation, are the AB0 system and the Rh factor.
The AB0 system divides the blood into blood groups:
- A
- B
- AB
- 0
The Rh factor determines the presence of the antigen in the blood and on the surface of the blood cells.
Rh = Rhesus factor. It is named after the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), colloquially rhesus monkey, in which it was found.
There are also more Rh antigens. The most important is the D antigen. If it is present, the blood is referred to as Rh positive, i.e. Rh+. If it is not present, the blood is Rh negative, i.e. Rh-.
The presence of this antigen is significant in donation.
There is yet another issue that may occur in the case of pregnancy.
The blood of the foetus, the child, carries half the genes from the mother and half from the father.
The father's half is alien to the mother's body.
Although the blood of the mother and the baby do not mix, in some cases a small amount of the fetal blood gets into the blood of the Rh-negative mother. This condition triggers the production of antibodies. However, these pass through the placenta.
However, there are cases when Rh+ fetal blood enters the mother's body. Physiological childbirth, section, placental disorders, amniocentesis, but also during abortion or curettage.
When passing into the blood of the fetus, child, newborn, the breakdown of blood cells occurs. This condition is also referred to as hemolytic disease of newborns.
So the problem is the Rh negativity of the mother and the positivity of the fetus. The condition is referred to as Rh incompatibility.
Nowadays, in this case, anti-D immunoglobulin is given to the mother. This prevents the immunological reaction of the mother, and therefore the formation of antibodies.
Table: hereditary blood group combination options
| Mother/Father | 0 | A | B | AB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0, A | 0, B | A, B |
| A | 0, A | 0, A | 0, A, B, AB | A, B, AB |
| B | 0, B | 0, A, B, AB | 0, B | A, B, AB |
| AB | A, B | A, B, AB | A, B, AB | A, B, AB |
