Human Blood Types

The incompatibility of blood types during transfusion are extremely dangerous and are potentially fatal. The immune system of the recipient views the new red blood cells as pathogens and works to destroy them. This process could cause fever and chills, blood in urine, breathing difficulties, chest, back and abdominal pain, muscle aches, blood clotting, nausea and many more. These symptoms will occur within a few minutes as it doesn’t take long for the blood to circulate the body. In order to prevent these incompatibilities, the blood of the donor and the recipient are cross-matched outside of the body and viewed for reactions. 

The incompatibility of blood types not only happens during transfusion, but for pregnant women as well. If the baby has a mismatching Rh blood type with its mother, the mother’s body may have a sort of allergic reaction to the baby. This rejection of the baby could cause the baby to have anemia or serious brain damage: sometimes fatal. For such cases, the mother is given a Rh immune globulin injection, where Rh antibodies stick to the Rh positive red blood cells to prevent the mother’s body from reacting with the baby. 

These different blood types were caused by genetic mutations that were meant to prevent certain diseases or to adapt to environmental pressures. Our ancestors all had type A blood and the rest are all genetic adaptations. For example, cells that are infected with malaria can’t stick to Type O and Type B red blood cells. People with type A are more prone to the dangerous effects of red blood cells clumping up in their blood vessels.