Veriryhmätietoa

Veriryhmätietoa refers to information about blood groups. Blood groups are classifications of blood based on the presence or absence of inherited antigenic substances on the surface of red blood cells. The most common blood group systems are ABO and Rh.

The ABO system categorizes blood into four main types: A, B, AB, and O. Type A blood has A antigens, type B has B antigens, type AB has both A and B antigens, and type O has neither. In addition to these antigens, the ABO system also involves antibodies in the plasma. A person with type A blood has anti-B antibodies, type B has anti-A antibodies, type AB has neither, and type O has both anti-A and anti-B antibodies.

The Rh system, primarily referring to the RhD antigen, classifies blood as Rh-positive (Rh+) if the D antigen is present, or Rh-negative (Rh-) if it is absent. This information is crucial for blood transfusions. For example, an Rh-negative person should ideally receive Rh-negative blood to avoid developing antibodies against the RhD antigen.

Veriryhmätietoa is essential for safe blood transfusions and organ transplantation. Transfusing incompatible blood types can lead to a severe immune reaction, known as a hemolytic transfusion reaction, which can be life-threatening. Understanding a patient's and a donor's blood group is paramount in preventing such complications. This knowledge is also important during pregnancy, particularly regarding Rh incompatibility between mother and fetus, which can lead to hemolytic disease of the newborn. Genetic testing and blood typing procedures are used to determine an individual's blood group.