Colleen Schapira writes:
Do you know your blood group?
Most people don’t but it is important, especially if you have ORhesus negative (O-) blood which is one of the rarest blood types along with AB-.
There are 4 main blood groups: A, B, AB and O and it has been proven that 85 per cent of mankind has a blood factor common with the rhesus monkey.
This is called rhesus positive blood – shortened to Rh+ which means man and ape evolved from a common ancestor.
The other 15 per cent is Rh negative (Rh-) and science has no idea where this blood type originated from.
There is no scientific proof that Rh- was a natural earthly occurrence and as we can only inherit what our ancestors had, there must have been a mutation somewhere along the line – a sudden inheritable divergence from ancestral type (some explanations are cross-breeding with ancient astronauts) Negative blood cannot be cloned – positive blood can be cloned.
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My interest in Rh- blood comes from being O- myself.
My husband had the same blood so do all three of my children.
Only seven per cent of the population are O- and should we require a transfusion we can only receive O- blood.
Oddly enough, it is known as the universal blood because it can be given to all the other groups without consequence.
The Rh factor causes problems when an Rh- mother and an Rh+ father conceive an Rh+ child.
The mother can become sensitised which means she produces antibodies to fight the Rh factor as if it were a harmful substance.
These antibodies then attack the foetal Rh+ blood cells which can result in anaemia, jaundice or, on rare occasions, a more severe case known as haemolytic disease in the newborn which can be fatal.
Since the 1960’s, pregnant women who are Rh negative (and do not have an Rh- husband) have been given an injection called RhoGAM at the 28th week of pregnancy.
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The shot lasts approximately 12 weeks and is repeated within 72 hours of birth to mothers with Rh positive babies; it also prevents mother’s blood from forming antibodies in future pregnancies of Rh positive babies.
RhoGAM is considered an effective shot and has reduced the number of complications and deaths from haemolytic disease in newborns.
If you have Rh negative blood, consider seriously becoming a donor – you have a rare blood and it is always needed – especially by you.
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