If you were to have a life-saving blood transfusion, can you recall your blood type? Would you want a delay from the life-saving treatment because of blood type testing?
Over 4.5 million Americans per year are saved from blood transfusions. To administer a blood transfusion, medical professionals would need to know your blood type, which can be determined by a blood type test.
Have you ever wondered why knowing your blood type is important? Read on to find out more about blood types and why you need to know yours.
What Is a Blood Type?
A blood type (also known as a blood group) is how we classify blood.
There are the blood types (A, B, AB, and O) and the Rhesus (Rh) status for positive or negative.
There is a lot of information about blood types, but the basics are simple. We are one of the four blood types and then negative or positive for Rhesus status. Just like your physical traits such as eye or hair color, you inherit your blood type from your parents, who each provide one of their ABO genes to you.
What Are the Blood Types?
Four main types of blood are A, B, AB, and O. Then there are positive and negative (Rhesus) versions for all four, which gives us the eight possible blood types:
- A positive / A negative
- B positive / B negative
- AB positive / AB negative
- O positive / O negative
As you can see, there is a positive and negative for each type. This is very important for determining which blood you need to receive.
For blood transfusions, O negative and O positive blood is in high demand. The most common blood type is O positive coming in at 37% of the population, while only 7% of the population are O negative.
How Is My Blood Type Determined?
Your blood type is determined by your genetics. Each parent has two blood type genes or two blood type letters. Each parent donates one gene or letter to their child, which then determines the child’s blood type.
If one parent donates an A blood type gene and the other donates a B blood type gene, the baby will have an AB blood type. If a child receives two genes of the same letter, then their blood type is that letter, so an AA blood type is just A.
O is a recessive gene, while A and B are dominant genes, so if a child inherits one A gene and one O gene, then their blood type is just A.
Just like the blood type genes, the Rhesus or Rh factor is also inherited from your parents. Each parent has two genes for the Rh factor, a protein that is found on the covering of red blood cells. If your red blood cells have Rh factor, you are Rh-positive, and if your red blood cells don’t have Rh factor, then you are Rh-negative.
The Rh-positive gene is dominant, so for a child to be Rh-negative, they would need to receive an Rh-negative gene from both parents.
Mothers, when pregnant, will provide their blood type and have a blood type test performed to verify it.
Babies are tested at birth to determine their blood type. Having a blood type test is very important in case there is an emergency.
Blood Types - Why Do I Need to Know Mine?
In an emergency, if you need life-saving surgery or a transfusion, you will need to know your blood type. This is so the doctors and surgeons can get you the right blood type.
Hospitals have a small supply of blood, so blood is precious, especially for the rarer blood types. Making sure they have the right blood type can speed up getting the blood to you.
Receiving an incompatible blood type can be fatal. So having your blood type on hand, along with medical history, will be very helpful.
If you are pregnant, there may be complications for you if you are rhesus negative and your baby is rhesus positive. You would need to know your blood type. However, you wouldn't know your baby's blood type until after birth.
There are shortages of particular blood types. If you know your blood type, you can decide to donate and help the cause.
How Can I Find My Blood Type?
Most hospitals and doctors will not do a standard test without a reason. So you might have to wait for something to happen before you can find out. Even then, you might not find out your blood type.
You can run into many obstacles when asking for certain blood tests. Also, there is generally a price hike for tests when going through a physician’s office or insurance.
Unless you have an illness or disability, you are unlikely going to have a blood test performed.
The easiest and fastest way is to order a blood type test from Ulta Lab Tests. This way you have the costs upfront, and they are affordable and quicker than going through other channels.
You can order your test online, visit a service center where the phlebotomist can draw the blood. Then receive your results within a couple of days.
How Easy Is Blood Type Testing?
For an affordable price, you can know your blood type within 24 to 48 hours.
It's really easy to get a blood test, and there are many benefits to blood testing.
With Ulta Lab Tests, there are no obstacles to getting the tests you want.
It's quick, easy to do and results are with you in a matter of days. Just order your test online, visit a patient service center in your area and have your blood drawn for testing.
You will get easy-to-read results, which you can take to your physician for consultation.
Where Can I Get a Blood Type Test?
You can order your blood type test with Ulta Lab Tests and receive your results in 24 to 48 hours.
Ulta Lab Tests offers tests that are highly accurate and reliable, so you can make informed decisions about your health. Here are a few great things to love about Ulta Lab Tests:
- You'll get secure and confidential results
- You don't need health insurance
- You don't need a physician's referral
- You'll get affordable pricing
- We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee
If you are wondering what your blood type is, order your Blood Type test here today. If you are wondering if there is a 'blood type test near me, the answer is yes! So, take control of your health today with Ulta Lab Tests.
