【海外の反応】欧米人は自分の血液型を知らないってマジ？日本との違いに衝撃

It is irrelevant until you need a transfusion or organ transplant. And if you do need that, they would do a blood type test, never take your word or trust a past medical record.

because nobody is gonna give you blood without testing the type for themselves anyway, so what would be the point? the only reason we know in the military is because they post it on our dog tags. even then, nobody tells us, we just find it by ourselves

Mine is B Positive, which is inherently the easiest to remember

I was told, but then again my mom's a lifelong blood donor because she's O-neg, rhesus neg (IIRC on that last bit). So I always knew growing up that I had a different blood type as her, and I swore I would donate blood as soon as I was allowed. (It didn't go so well my first few times, and I've given up on that, sadly. I would love to donate, but my body very vehemently says NO.)

Edit: YES, I have been told I got the subtype wrong by multiple people in this thread. She is O- and negative for something else, and the combination makes her blood very valuable for premature babies. She has given many gallons over the years.

I am currently doing my blood banking clinicals so i feel like i can answer this!

mostly, because it’s not really needed, and therefore would be a waste of resources.

When they test your blood for a transfusion, they’re not only testing for ABO blood type, but also they run an antibody screen. You can be transfused with a compatible blood ABO blood type but still have a transfusion reaction if you have an antibody to their blood. It’s a lot more complicated than just the ABO. A type and screen is only good for about three days.

At the hospital, blood banks are busy. Cancer patients, surgeries, traumas, all in need of blood products needing stat screening and issuing. Many blood banks only have a few people working them, some only have one. So unless you need a transfusion, you aren’t going to be typed.

And honestly, If you get into an accident and it’s an emergency, they aren’t going to type you right away. They’re going to give you trauma O units (pos or neg depending on age/pregnancy factors) since they can be given to any ABO type.

But in reality, blood banking/type and screening is a lot more expensive and time intensive than people realize, and if it’s not medically necessary, then there’s really no reason to do a complete work up. The people doing the tests need to get paid too- it’s not just thrown on a machine and forgotten about. There is a lot of behind the scenes work that goes into all of it.

I will be happy to answer more questions if you have them! I know it can be weird not knowing, but the easiest way to find out really is blood donation, plus you’ll be helping people. I have never seen a bag of blood go to waste at my hospital.