Blood Groups

1
Blood Groups Transfusions

• Pages 349-353

2
Blood Transfusions

• When blood is given intraveneously
• Usually donated blood
• Transfusions are given for
• Blood loss due to injury
• Surgery
• To supplement your own blood

3
Compatible Transfusions

• Transfusions must be given to compatible
  recipients
• Those individuals with the same antigens
• Blood cells have their own antigens
• Genetically determined proteins
• Allows us to determine self

4
Incompatible Transfusions

• Antibodies bind to the (foreign) antigens on the
  donor RBC
• Antibodies are proteins specialized to recognize
  foreign substances and provide immunity against
  them

5
Agglutination

• Incompatible transfusions cause agglutination
  clumping of the foreign RBCs
• RBCs burst open (hemolysis)
• releases hemoglobin into bloodstream
• Hemoglobin can block kidney tubules
• Can cause kidney failure and death

6
The Main Blood groups

• The ABO Blood groups
• Type A (Both A antigens)
• Type B (Both B antigens)
• Type AB (Both A and B antigens)
• Type O (neither antigen is present recessive)
• Rh (rhesus) factor ( or - )
• Positive or negative for presence on the surface
  of the RBC
• Pregnant women risk destruction of babys RBCs

7
Inheritance of antigens
8
Pregnancy and the Rh Factor

• Differences in Rh factor between baby and mother
• Most of the time, the first baby is fine
• Antibodies are built up after first baby

9
Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn

• Second pregnancy, RBCs of baby can be destroyed
• This causes Hemolytic disease of the newborn
• Jaundice
• Anemia
• Enlarged liver/spleen
• RBC mfr is here until fetus is around 7 months
• Incompatible mothers are given an immune serum
  called RhoGAM to prevent immune response