What Is a Universal Donor?

Introduction

A universal donor is someone with a certain blood group who can give to anyone from any blood group. O blood group is regarded as the universal donor blood group.

Donors with the same blood type as the patient may not be available in rare instances. A person with group O can give blood to the patient in such instances. This blood group is known as a universal donor blood group because it generates very few reactions in the receiver. Whether the blood type is rare, common, or somewhere in between, one's efforts are crucial in saving and improving lives. Donating blood has benefits both for the donor and the recipient. There are several blood groups, the most common of which are A, B, AB, and O. The blood kinds are established by the genes passed down from parents. There are eight blood types, each of which can be RhD positive or RhD negative.

What Exactly Is a Universal Donor?

As previously stated, someone with a certain blood group can give to anyone of any blood group. This implies that a person with the AB blood group cannot normally give to someone with the A or B blood group since it may induce responses. That is what distinguishes them. When combined with other blood types, they will not induce any reactions. These are O blood types, and they are referred to as universal donors. Despite the fact that they are regarded as universal blood donors, only O-negative blood types are true universal donors; this is because their blood cells do not carry antigens. However, O-positive blood donors cannot donate to RhD negatives such as A, B, O, and AB negatives but can donate to all RhD positive groups such as A, B, O, and AB positives.

Where Does Blood Come From?

Blood is a complex combination of several components. An average person's body contains 5 to 6 quarts (approximately 5 liters) of blood. Blood is produced in the bone marrow by hematopoietic cells. When the blood cells have fully matured and are fully functional, they leave the bone marrow and enter circulation. Blood is necessary because it performs a range of critical tasks while circulating throughout the body. Their primary role is to transfer gases, nutrients, and byproducts. Average healthy red blood cells have a life expectancy of around 120 days. These cells die and are replaced.

What Type of Blood Do We Have?

Blood groups are classified using the ABO and Rh-positive or Rh-negative blood type categorization. The four blood types in the ABO system are A, B, AB, and O, which are determined by the presence or absence of antigens A and B on the surface of red blood cells.

• Type-A: Only contains the A antigen.

• Type-B: Only contains the B antigen.

• Type-AB: Antigens A and B are present.

• Type-O: Lacks both the A and B antigens. An individual with an ABO blood type can get type-O blood since there is no antigen present.

What Is the Blood Type Determined By?

• The presence or absence of antigens in the blood determines the blood group. If a foreign body enters the circulation, the antigen stimulates the immune system to generate antibodies to combat it. In the blood, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are present.

• The presence of antigens A and B on the surface of red blood cells determines the four major blood types.

• Apart from that, the presence or absence of the Rh factor, a protein, determines whether your blood group is negative or positive. The blood type may be identified based on these characteristics.

Why Is It Important to Know Your Blood Type?

It is critical to know a person's blood type in case of an emergency or if a blood transfusion is required. When it comes to blood transfusions, it is necessary to ensure that the blood types of the donor and receiver match. Some antigens can lead your immune system to treat transfused blood as if it were a foreign body, fighting it. As a result, cross-matching and accurate blood-typing are crucial.

What Is Blood Transfusion?

A blood transfusion is a method of reintroducing blood into the body following an injury or disease. Transfusions are administered to recipients via an intravenous line (IV) placed into a vein. Plasma (which transports nutrients), platelets (which aid in blood clotting), and red blood cells are all components of blood (carry oxygen). Some of the various situations in which you may require blood transfusions include:

• Pregnant women experiencing labor problems.

• A fatal accident.

• Premature infants.

• Cancer therapy.

There are various types of blood transfusion, such as transfusion of red blood cells, transfusion of platelets, and transfusion of plasma.

How Rare Is O Negative Blood?

Although it can be transfused to anyone, regardless of blood type, O-negative blood is important. Only 7 % of the population is O negative, and these people can only receive blood from people of the O negative blood type.

Who Can Receive O Negative Blood?

Since anyone can receive red blood cells from O-negative donors, they are commonly referred to as "universal donors." Although O-negative blood accounts for around 6 % - 8 % of the population, it accounts for approximately 13 % - 15 % of hospital requests for red blood cells.

But individuals with O-negative blood could only get red cell donations from individuals who have O-negative blood.

Blood Donation: Why Is It So Important?

Blood donations are used to help patients undergoing surgery, cancer patients, and those who have lost blood due to catastrophic injuries. It is critical to maintain blood supply variety. Some blood types are uncommon or rare. During an emergency, blood from a blood bank might be used to save these people's lives. Blood donations can result in a variety of blood products such as platelets, red blood cells, and plasma. One pint may save three lives; it is all about delivering someone else a second chance at life.

Conclusion

To put it all together, for blood transfusion, correct blood group categorization is critical. When blood samples from two different blood types are combined, the blood clumps because the recipient's blood antibodies naturally fight the cells, resulting in a hazardous response.

Since the O blood type lacks A and B antigens, it can be received by persons of any blood type. This is critical in an emergency or when a patient's blood type is unknown.