Genes inherited from your parents determine your blood type. Whether you have a rare blood type, a common one, or something in between, your donations are critical in saving and improving lives.
Is AB negative blood really that uncommon?
AB negative donors account for one out of every 100 donors. The ABO blood group's AB negative blood type is the most uncommon, accounting for only 1% of our blood donors. The AB blood group accounts for only 3% of total donors.
Who is eligible to receive AB negative blood?
People who are AB negative and AB positive.
If you are AB negative, you can get AB negative red blood cells if you are:
- AB negative
- AB positive
What kind of blood can AB-negative people get?
Any blood type that is Rh-negative. Blood can be donated to people who have an AB negative blood type from the following sources:
- AB negative donors
- O negative donors
- A negative donors
- B negative donors
What is the significance of AB negative blood?
It's the rarest blood type. AB negative donations are extremely versatile, but finding new donors can be difficult because it's the rarest blood type. Plasma from AB negative donors can be used to treat patients of all blood types, but fresh frozen plasma can only be obtained from male donors. This is because female donors (particularly those who have been pregnant) can develop antibodies that, while not harmful to them, can be fatal to patients who receive their plasma.
We handle AB negative donations differently than other blood groups in order to avoid waste and achieve the balance of plasma and red cells required by patients. We encourage our male donors to give as often as possible, while we ask female donors to wait until we contact them directly.
Because AB negative blood is the rarest blood type, even minor changes in the number of donations collected or requested by hospitals can have a significant and immediate impact on the amount of AB negative we store.
During these times, we rely on all AB negative donors to help prevent waste and ensure that patients continue to receive the blood and blood products they need to save and improve their lives.
We're looking for AB-negative blood donors who want to switch to platelet donation. You could help up to 3 adults or 12 children each time you donate.