What blood type is the universal donor? What to know about universal donors and recipients
It is always important to know what your blood type is and to inform your friends and family about your blood type. In the event that you need a blood transfusion this is crucial information which doctors need in order to know what blood they can give you.
Some blood types, however, like AB positive are universal recipients, meaning that individuals with this blood type can receive transfusions with any other blood type. This is not that case for every blood type, however; individuals with other types are limited to what blood they can receive.
Luckily, there is a universal donor that can be used on everyone. What type is this though? We have the answers for you.
What blood type is the universal donor?
According to the American Red Cross, O negative blood is the universal donor. This means that O negative blood can be used in transfusions for anyone regardless of their blood type.
Whether it be positive or negative, type O blood is in high demand by hospitals and therefore is often in short supply. It is in high demand for two reasons: Type O positive is the most common blood type and is therefore in demand; it is also in high demand because O negative, which is less common than O positive, is the universal donor.
Diverse and minority populations play a “critical role” in donating type O blood because 51% of African-Americans and 57% of Hispanics are type O (positive or negative), compared with just 45% of Caucasians. Just 7% of the population are O negative while 37% is O positive, according to the Red Cross.
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What blood type is rarest?
The rarest blood type is AB negative. with just 1% of donors having this blood type. While this type is rare, there is not high demand for AB blood, and it is not difficult to find donors with this blood type.
Blood types are considered rare if they “lack antigens that 99% of the people are positive for,” according to the Red Cross. Antigens are a substance on red blood cells like a protein.
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