Blood Compatibility
Everyone’s blood has a type; that is classified into the type of donor and type of receiver, according to the presence of certain markers(antigens) found on the red blood cells and the plasma. These antigens are the recognizing bodies. If a blood not acceptable to the body into which it is being transfused or accepted, the immune system regards it as a Foreign Body and reacts against it. That is why it is equally important to ensure that donors are giving compatible blood types to receivers.
A non-compatible blood may lead to blood clotting or clumping of red blood cells thus blocking the blood vessels.
| Receive Blood From | Donate Blood To | Blood Type |
| A+ A- O+ O- | A+ AB+ | A+ |
| O+ O- | O+ A+ B+ AB+ | O+ |
| B+ B- O+ O- | B+ AB+ | B+ |
| Everyone | AB+ | AB+ |
| A- O- | A- A+ AB+ AB- | A- |
| O- | Everyone | O- |
| B- O- | B- B+ AB+ AB- | B- |
| AB- A- B- O- | AB- AB+ | AB- |
