In the UK, only 1 in 13 people have A negative blood. If you are a blood donor who has A negative blood, you can donate to anybody with a blood type of A or AB, regardless of the positive or negative. But, if you have A negative blood you can only receive A- or O- blood.
This means that individuals with A negative blood have fewer options for transfusions compared to those with other blood types. In emergency situations, receiving the appropriate blood type can mean the difference between life and death.
One unique trait of A negative blood is that it lacks the A and B antigens found in other blood types. This makes A negative blood highly sought after for rare medical conditions where the immune system attacks the body’s own cells, such as autoimmune disorders or during pregnancy when the mother’s immune system can attack the foetus.
Having Rh negative blood in some countries can be very dangerous. In Southeast Asia, including countries such as Thailand, only a very small percentage of the population has Rh negative blood. Because of this, there is a lack of people who can donate blood with Rh negative blood, which has led to a worrisome shortage in blood banks. This means that for foreigners, tourists, and the few Thai people with Rh negative blood, even a small accident or simple surgery can quickly become a life-threatening situation.
Due to its rarity, A negative blood is always in high demand for transfusions. Blood donation centres are always looking for individuals with this blood type to donate, as it can save countless lives. So, if you have A negative blood, consider becoming a blood donor and help make a difference in the lives of those in need.
Knowing Your Blood Type
There are lots of ways to find out your blood type. The importance of knowing your blood type is to stop the risk of receiving an incompatible blood type if a transfusion is needed. If the wrong blood types are mixed, it can cause a clumping of blood cells that can be potentially fatal.
If you do not know your blood group, you can contact your local doctor’s surgery or blood donation group to make an appointment and try to find out. (Your GP may not be keen to give you a blood test when there is no medical need to carry one out, so be prepared for that!)
The easiest way to find out your blood group is by taking a test at home. We suggest the eldon blood typing kit for this purpose. As well as being an inexpensive kit, this product also produces results within minutes. Also, you can test at home as soon as the packet from Zoom Health pops through your letterbox, no waiting for days or weeks for a surgery appointment!
Photo by Anthony Cunningham for Zoom Health
Zoom Health is a leading UK supplier of Home Health Tests and Earplugs
This post was last updated in July 2023.
