How do you discover out your blood kind if you do not know?

These letters (and pluses and minuses) may be essential info in an emergency, and there are easy however correct methods to search out out.

Most blood varieties are solely suitable with a handful of others, in line with Dr. Dayand Borge, Divisional Chief Medical Officer on the American Crimson Cross.

Fortunately, there are simple methods to search out out your blood kind.

Ask your dad and mom or physician.
Earlier than you exit of your option to attempt any of the opposite strategies, examine together with your dad and mom first. They could know or have outdated well being information that embody your blood kind. You may also attain out to your well being care supplier, who could have that info on file.

Blood draw
Subsequent time you go in to get your blood drawn, ask to know your blood kind. When you’ve had blood drawn up to now, you’ll be able to name the lab to see if they’ve the knowledge. To request a blood check, go to your healthcare supplier or an area well being clinic.

At-home blood check
You may also buy an at-home blood check on-line and have it shipped to your door. The package comes with a needle and a testing card to drop your blood on. For a lot of at-home assessments, outcomes take solely minutes.

Blood donation
Once you donate blood, the blood goes via a number of assessments, together with blood kind. After you’ve donated with the Crimson Cross, you’re given a blood donor card which will provide you with entry to your blood kind after they check it. This takes a couple of days and is free. When you’ve donated up to now, you could possibly examine your blood kind on their web site.

Saliva check
For these squeamish of needles, a saliva check will help you identify your blood kind with out having to attract blood.

About 80% of individuals secrete the identical antigens which can be of their blood of their saliva, in line with a research revealed within the Journal of Medical & Diagnostic Analysis.

Because of this the check is efficient for many, however not everybody. These assessments may be discovered on-line and price greater than conventional, at-home blood assessments.