The Importance of Knowing Your Baby’s Blood Type

As a new parent, there is so much to track regarding your baby’s health - optimal weight gain, vaccinations, allergies and more! But there is one thing most parents miss, which is very simple. It is the blood group of their baby. Sounds simple, but this one piece of information can matter more than you think, from pregnancy to your child’s adult life. Read on to know why knowing your baby’s blood type is crucial. 

How Is Blood Type Inherited?

Blood type is determined by tiny markers present on the surface of red blood cells called antigens. Every child inherits one gene from their mother and one from their father, and the combination of these two genes decides their blood type. ^1,3

There are three possible gene variants - A, B, and O. A and B are dominant genes, while O is recessive. This means:^1,2,3

• If a child gets A from one parent and O from the other, they show up as blood type A - because A overrides O
• If a child gets B from one parent and O from the other, they show up as blood type B - because B overrides O
• If a child gets O from both parents, they show up as blood type O
• If a child gets A from one parent and B from the other, they show up as blood type AB - because both A and B are equally dominant

This is why even though the gene combinations can be AO or BO, the blood types that actually show up are only four - A, B, AB, and O. The O gene is silent unless it comes from both sides. On top of this, every blood type is either positive or negative, depending on the Rh factor. If your red blood cells carry the Rh protein, you are Rh-positive. If they do not, you are Rh-negative. So in total, there are eight blood types: A+, A−, B+, B−, O+, O−, AB+, and AB−.^1,2,3

This is why two parents with blood type A can sometimes have a child with blood type O. It all depends on which genes each parent is carrying. ^1,2,3

Maternal Blood Type During Pregnancy

That's when blood types become really important. When a mother and baby have incompatible blood groups, it can lead to serious problems during pregnancy. If a Rh-negative mother is pregnant with a Rh-positive baby, her immune system can see the baby’s blood cells as foreign and produce antibodies to attack them. ³

This can lead to a condition called haemolytic disease of the newborn, with symptoms including jaundice and anaemia, and in severe cases, dangerous swelling in the baby. ⁴ The good news is that it is very manageable if caught early. The incidence of Rh-haemolytic disease has been reduced by 80 to 90 percent since the introduction of anti-D immunoglobulin. ⁴ This is precisely the reason why doctors check the blood type of all pregnant women early in pregnancy.

Why Should You Know Your Baby's Blood Type?

Once your baby is born, you should always remember their blood group. If your child ever needs emergency treatment, knowing his or her blood type can speed up the process of finding the right blood for a transfusion. Using the wrong blood type could be fatal.

Having this information ready in any emergency, such as an accident, surgery or sudden illness, can directly save your child's life by removing one critical step. Blood group information is also required before kidney transplants and several other major medical procedures.

Blood Type and Medical Treatments

As per research, blood type can influence health risks later in life. A large study also found that people with blood groups A and B were at greater risk of blood clots and heart-related conditions, while those in group O were at greater risk of high blood pressure.⁵ 

These are general trends in large populations, not certainties for any one person. But knowing your child’s blood group gives valuable context to doctors when planning long-term care and prevention.

The Bottom Line

Your baby's blood group is a small but important piece of information that every parent should know. t helps doctors safely manage your pregnancy, prepares you for medical emergencies and provides useful context for your child’s long-term health.

You would do anything to secure your child’s future health. You keep their health records at your fingertips. You remember every allergy. You have their blood group at the tip of your tongue. Another thing you can do for their health in the future is stem cell banking with LifeCell.

Cord blood collected at birth is rich in stem cells, which can be used to treat more than 80 serious conditions – from blood cancers and immune disorders to metabolic diseases. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that only exists at the moment of birth, and banking it with LifeCell means it is preserved and ready if your child ever needs it.