Blood Type: How to Determine Yours

Knowing your blood type can range from a simple medical reason to getting an international visa, or basically to know more about your body. And the good news is there are various ways you can find out your blood type after tests in London.

Determining blood at home

• Find out your parents’ blood type – It’s quite easy to know your blood type if that of both your biological parents are known. Most times, that’s all you need to guess using the online blood calculator, or the following list:

O parent x O parent = O child

O parent x A parent = A or O child

O parent x B parent = B or O child

O parent x AB parent = A or B child

A parent x A parent = A or O child

A parent x B parent = A, B, AB or O child

A parent x AB parent = A, B, or AB child

B parent x B parent = B or O child

AB parent x AB parent = A, B, or AB child

Blood types also include an Rh factor (+ or -). Should both of your parents have an Rh – blood type (like O- or AB-), you’re also Rh-. Should one or both of your parents be Rh+, you can only tell with a blood group test if you’re positive or negative.

• Ask a doctor who has drawn your blood – Your doctor can tell you your blood type if you ask, provided they have yours on file from a previously conducted blood drawing or test for reasons like surgery, blood transfusion, pregnancy, and organ donations.

• Get a blood typing kit – Should you choose not to visit a doctor or donate blood, you can get a home test kit from a pharmacy or even online; it doesn’t cost much. The procedure for home testing is simple: dampen various labelled patches on a special card, prick your finger, then add a little blood to each patch. Ensure you adhere to the kit instructions when adding the blood. Take note of the patches or vials of fluids in some kits that make the blood to clump rather than spread out. Blood clumping is caused by a reaction to substances that are incompatible with your blood type. When you’re done with testing using all cards or fluids, check your blood type using the instructions in the kit, or the following list:

Check for Anti-A and Anti-B patches for clumps. You have type A blood if there are clumps in only Anti-A; clumps in Anti-B mean you have type B blood. Clumps in both Anti-A and Anti-B mean you’re type AB blood.

Check the Anti-D patch. Presence of clumps indicates you’re Rh positive. Add a+ to your blood type. No clumps indicate you’re Rh negative. Add a- to your blood type.

Clumping in control patch. Should the control patch (normal paper) cause clumping, or should you be uncertain if the clumps are on any patch, use another card.

Visit your medical care provider

• Ask for a blood test from your doctor – Should your doctor not have your type on file, you can request to have your blood tested. To do so, visit or call your doctor. Tell them you’ll like to know your blood type and ask them if they can order a blood test to check your blood type.

• Visit a health clinic – You can have a blood type test in London if you don’t have a doctor, or you can get the test at a health clinic. Simply visit a local health centre and request for your blood to be tested. You may find out the health clinic options prior to visiting.

• Donate blood – This serves a dual function of knowing your blood type and helping other people. You can visit a blood donation centre or attend a blood drive hosted by your community centre or other institutions. At the centre, your blood is usually not tested immediately, so it could take some time to get your result. Only those in good health, weighing at least 50kg, and 16 years old (in most states) are eligible for blood donation. If you’re on medication, have low iron levels, or recently travelled to foreign countries, you may not qualify for the donation. Plus, you mustn’t have donated blood within the last 56 days. Contact the blood donation centre before visiting to ensure your blood type will be accepted.

Visit a blood service centre where you reside. At blood service centres, people are usually provided with free resources to test their blood and know the type. You can visit Private Blood Tests London for more enquiries and blood test. Do call us today on 020 71830244 to book an appointment.