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The blood changes during the flow. Let's find out whether a person's blood type changes throughout life

Blood type, as well as the Rh factor, are immutable genetic characteristics that are formed in the womb. It cannot change either during intrauterine development or throughout life. However, you can often hear from people that they had one group, but after a while they became another. This is especially often stated by women during pregnancy, as well as people who have suffered from certain diseases.

Doctors give a simple explanation for this: an incorrect result in laboratory tests. It is believed that in the past, errors in determining group membership were more common. Nowadays, reagents have become of higher quality and the results are more accurate.

What is blood type?

Today, the world has adopted a classification according to the AB0 system, according to which there are four groups:

0 (first) – there are no antigens on the surface of red cells, antibodies α (anti-A) and β (anti-B) are present in the plasma;
A (second) – red blood cells contain anti-A on their membrane, plasma contains β antibodies (anti-B);
B (third) – there is anti-B on the surface of red blood cells, and α antibodies (anti-A) in the plasma;
AB (fourth) - since there is antigen A and B on the membrane of red blood cells, there are no antibodies either α or β in the blood.

Each agglutinogen has its own antibody (agglutinin), which will cause red blood cells to stick together.

In fact, there are many more types of blood. The fact is that a group is understood as a certain combination of antigens found in its cells. In reality there are several hundred of them, and to date their exact number has not been established.

Thus, there are a huge number of combinations. Today, two most important classifications have been adopted. This is the AB0 system, according to which group membership depends on combinations of antigenic components on red blood cells. The Rh system (Rh factor), according to which blood differs in the presence or absence of a special protein on the membrane of red cells and can be Rh positive or negative.

Why might it change?

The group is determined by the adhesion of red blood cells. To do this, serum containing antibodies (agglutinins) α, β, α and β are dripped onto a special plate. Then a drop of blood is added to each, and there should be about ten times more serum. After this, the agglutination reaction (sticking together) of red blood cells is observed under a microscope for five minutes. Based on the results of this reaction, the blood type is determined:

if gluing did not occur in any serum, then it is I;
if the reaction is positive with sera containing α and α+β antibodies, then it is II;
if agglutination occurred in serum with antibodies β and α+β, then this is III;
if all sera give positive results, this means that the blood contains both antibodies and belongs to type IV.

Blood group determination

Why might the group change? To do this, it is necessary that red blood cell antigens cease to be produced or their production is greatly weakened. There is an opinion that this can happen with infectious diseases, pregnancy, tumors, and some diseases associated with increased production of red cells. In this regard, in laboratory tests, antibodies cannot detect such a small amount of antigens or the reaction is so weak that it is not visible. Thus, under certain conditions, a temporary change in test results is possible, but not a change in group membership.

Conclusion

We can conclude that a person’s group will not change either with age or for other reasons. Moreover, the combination of antigens, which is already present at the first stage of intrauterine development, cannot change either during pregnancy or after childbirth.

If the analysis shows that the blood has changed, it is most likely worth talking about an error during the laboratory test. In addition, the result of the study may be associated with weakly expressed antigens. In this case, repeat tests using other reagents are usually prescribed. Thus, it is worth clarifying once again that it is not the blood type that has changed, but the test results.

A person is endowed with a certain blood type even when he is in the mother’s womb. This is the same genetically transmitted trait as skin color and eye color, which remains for life. But there are still opinions that changing the blood type is quite possible. Let's try to figure out whether the blood type can change, or is this just the result of an error when performing the analysis?

Blood group determination

The classification according to the ABO system is widespread in the world, within which there are four blood groups that are determined using analysis. To carry it out, four serums with antibodies are needed, to which blood is added. The laboratory assistant observes the reaction of red blood cells and the process of their connection. It is based on the results of agglutination that group affiliation is determined.

The ABO blood groups are the main ones and are used for transfusions. Associated antibodies A and B (immunoglobulins) are most often formed in the first years of life as a result of susceptibility to substances surrounding a person (food, viruses, bacteria).

Blood is a trait that a person is endowed with at birth, and has a certain composition of agglutinogens and agglutinins, genetically encoded. By all parameters, it would seem impossible to talk about a change in blood type. So, can blood type change? Let's figure it out. Still, such cases can occur for a number of specific reasons, which we will list below.

Error in analysis

It is possible that an erroneous analysis was performed to determine the patient’s blood type. Despite the simplicity of this procedure, the possibility of an incorrect result can never be excluded, so at some stage in life a person may think that he has a different blood type.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy may also affect the results. During this period, the production of red blood cells increases, and the concentration of agglutinogens decreases so much that the red blood cells containing them do not combine. Maybe because of this, many people wonder whether blood type changes in life.

Diseases

There are diseases during which the composition of red blood cells may also increase, as was the case in the previous case, and the blood type may change. In addition, certain pathogens and bacteria release enzymes that change the composition of type A agglutinogens so that they begin to resemble type B agglutinogens.

A blood test in this case will show the second group instead of the third, but transfusion of group B is impossible in any case, as it will cause incompatible reactions. Therefore, the change is temporary. Thus, thalassemia (Cooley's disease) can reduce the content of antigens. Cancerous tumors can also contribute to these changes.

Thus, under certain conditions, the results of analyzes may temporarily be different, but a change in group membership is in principle impossible. Therefore, the answer to the question of whether blood type can change will be negative.

Rh factor

In medicine, it is categorically stated that the Rh factor and blood group are permanent indicators, inherited properties received at conception and remaining until death. But sometimes events occur that cannot be explained rationally. There are also opinions about the possibility of changing blood group and rhesus. Let's find out whether the blood type and Rh factor change.

The Rh factor is a trait that is of genetic origin, and changing it under natural conditions is not feasible. To determine it, you need to check for the presence of Rh antigen on red blood cells. In 85% of humanity, this protein is detected, and Rh is positive. The rest, accordingly, have a negative indicator.

But there are antigens in the Rh system that are not so immunogenic. In some people with positive Rh, the ability to produce the opposite antibodies is revealed, and the expression of the standard Rh antigen is significantly reduced. In this case, positive patients are classified as a negative group. For example, when donor blood reaches a patient, an immune conflict may occur.

It is necessary to determine Rhesus in the process of pregnancy planning in order to promptly identify a possible immunological conflict between the fetus and mother, as a result of which the child may develop a hemolytic disease.

So does blood type change throughout life? There are exceptions to the rules. More on this later.

Unique case

A case of a change in the Rh factor was once recorded by Australian doctors in a girl after a liver transplant. Then all the properties of her immune system changed.

During transplantation, this phenomenon is very welcome, since most often the body tries to reject the new organ, which poses a threat to the patient’s life. To prevent such developments, the patient is prescribed long-term use of drugs that suppress the functioning of the immune system. To some extent, this is a non-standard answer to the question of whether the blood type changes in women.

Non-standard scenario

The case with the fifteen-year-old girl did not go according to the standard scenario. When the transplant was performed, the doctors did all the usual procedures, but after some time the patient developed a disease that rebuilt her immune system. After recovery, an analysis was carried out, as a result of which it turned out that the blood in some incomprehensible way became positive, although it was negative before the liver transplant. As a result, even the immunity readings became the same as those of the donor.

Doctors explain this case by transferring stem cells from a donor organ into the girl’s bone marrow. An additional reason could be her young age, due to which there was a low content of leukocytes in the blood. However, such a case is still isolated; no other similar phenomena have been recorded.

Therefore, when asked whether a person’s blood type changes, one must boldly answer: “No.” But the Rh factor may change.

Advanced teaching on rhesus change

Researchers at the Brazilian Institute in São João de Meriti, after many tests carried out on patients who had undergone spleen and liver transplants, concluded that the protein on red blood cells can change under certain conditions.

Studies show that almost 12% of transplant patients are at risk of changing the sign of the Rh factor, although the blood type is preserved.

Dr. Itar Minas argues that the functioning of the immune system after organ transplantation is significantly restructured, especially those that synthesize erythrocyte antigen. He explains this by the fact that during the engraftment of the organ they are able to take over some of the hematopoietic functions of the bone marrow, and as a result, a change in the rhesus polarity is possible.

The ages of the donor and recipient are also significant. Young people have more potential for antigen rearrangement than older people. This group of scientists believes that the content of information about protein determinants, which are located in chromosomal alleles and loci (their exact number has not yet been established), also has an influence. It is assumed that some of them may allow the possibility of changing the Rh factor.

So we looked into the question of whether blood type can change

Blood group, like the Rh factor, are permanent indicators of the human body. And their basis is genetically laid from the moment of the beginning of intrauterine life. However, there are often reports that, under various circumstances, a person blood type changes. Why is this possible and is it dangerous for our health? Or is this process completely normal? Let's find out...

You can read about what blood groups exist in nature and what the Rh factor is.

Situations where the blood type changes spontaneously and seemingly for no apparent reason are practically unknown to medicine. The bone marrow of a healthy person is programmed by DNA code to produce the same type of blood cells for life. At the same time, special protein antigens are located on each red blood cell, which make it possible to determine Rhesus status and classify blood into group 1, 2, 3 or 4.

When such cases arise, there is nothing left to do but attribute the result to diagnostic errors. If a change in blood type was detected during repeated laboratory tests, then one should look for good reasons for this.

Changes in blood type during pregnancy

Most often, reports of changes in blood group affiliation come from pregnant women who are registered at the antenatal clinic and periodically donate blood for analysis. Really, Blood type may change during pregnancy. However, it is very important to note that this is a false change.

It is due to the fact that the expectant mother’s body increases the production of red blood cells. At the same time, due to accelerated hematopoiesis, it is possible to form blood cells that have a small amount of group antigens on their surface or are completely absent. At this point, a blood group test may show a false result.

This is extremely important. After all, if a pregnant woman needs a blood transfusion, it must be carried out according to the “old” blood group (which was determined before pregnancy). Otherwise, a hemagglutination reaction may occur, i.e. red blood cells stick together and precipitate. This situation is life-threatening for both the mother and the fetus.

Changing blood group in pathological conditions

Potentially, the blood type and Rh factor can also change in various genetic and infectious diseases that lead to hematopoietic disorders and direct damage to red blood cells:

The red blood cells of each person have individual sensitivity to the listed damaging factors. Therefore, in such diseases, a change in blood group or Rh factor is possible, but not mandatory. However, such changes are temporary. After recovery, the hematopoietic system should produce full-fledged blood cells that a person had before his illness.

Irreversible change in blood type

This becomes possible with a complete bone marrow transplant. Patients diagnosed with malignant bone marrow tumors need to have it replaced. As a result of this treatment procedure, a person receives a donor organ that produces new blood cells.

It should be noted that bone marrow donors are selected very carefully. The transplanted bone marrow must match the recipient's bone marrow as closely as possible. Therefore, doctors most often choose donors with the same blood type and Rh factor as the recipient.

Idiopathic change of blood group and Rh factor

“All my life there was one group, and now suddenly it has changed for some reason” - is this possible?

In medicine, all diseases and pathological conditions, the cause of which is not fully studied and understood, are usually called “idiopathic”. Changing your blood type is no exception. Therefore, all cases when no one can name the reason for the change that occurred can be classified as an idiopathic change in blood group.

A change in blood type occurs without any clinical manifestations. Quiet and calm. Therefore, we can assume that such changes do not harm human health.

Change in blood type due to lifestyle

There is a sufficient amount of material on the world network from “enlightened teachers” who claim: “live correctly and your blood will gradually change its group from the contaminated fourth to the purified first.” Guys, this is just crazy... Please do not listen to such instructions and be prudent - your blood type will never change due to your lifestyle.

In addition, there is simply no “bad” or “good” blood group and Rh factor. An example of this is data on blood groups of famous personalities.

The Rh factor is an innate hematopoietic indicator that depends on the presence or absence of D-antigen protein molecules, which can be located on the plasma membranes of erythrocytes.

Approximately 84% of the white population has this immunogenic protein, so their blood is called Rh positive and is designated Rh+. 16% of white-skinned people do not produce such a D-antigen and their blood is considered Rh-negative - Rh-.

The table below shows the percentage of people with Rh+ and Rh- among other inhabitants of the globe.

The presence of the Rh factor system in humans was discovered and proven, in the period from 1937 to 1942, by outstanding scientists - the American immunologist and infectious disease specialist Karl Landsteiner, his student Alexander Wiener, as well as Philip Levin and John Mahoney. For their research in this area, they were awarded the Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research in 1946.

To date, the existence of 50 different antigens of the Rhesus system has been proven, which can be located on the plasma membranes of human red blood cells, together or separately.

The most significant among them are D, C, c, CW, E and e. The term Rh factor (negative or positive) applies only to the D antigen.

Rh factor analysis

Rh positive or negative is determined during a special laboratory test of venous blood. Such an analysis can be carried out on a glass plane or in a test tube using various techniques:

using a direct agglutination reaction in a special saline solution;
with direct agglutination with special high-molecular amplifiers;
with pre-treatment of red cells with protolytic enzymes;
using the indirect antiglobulin Coombs test.

It is not necessary to take an analysis for the Rh factor on an empty stomach, but 2 hours before taking the sample for testing, you must avoid eating food, especially fatty foods, do not smoke or drink a lot of liquid, and also the day before - do not drink alcohol, cancel physiotherapeutic procedures and reduce physical activity. loads.

Important! When first determining Rhesus status, the reliability of the analysis performed must be confirmed and a secondary study must be carried out, subject to the same conditions and in the same medical laboratory.

Clinical significance of Rh status

In a person’s normal life or during the time when he is sick, the congenital Rh indicator has no meaning. This factor takes on special meaning in the following cases:

in preparation for operations that may or will definitely require transfusion;
before the planned blood transfusion of both blood and its components;
during pregnancy - to establish the compatibility of the blood of the mother and fetus;
immediately after birth - with a diagnosis of “Hemolytic disease of the newborn”.

Rh factor during transfusion

For a harmless blood transfusion, it is necessary to carry out an analysis for the Rh factor of both the person who donates blood (donor) and the person receiving it (recipient). A reasonable question arises - why?

The most dangerous of all antigens in the Rh system is the D antigen. If a person whose blood does not have such antigens is transfused with blood containing them, the reaction of destruction of red blood cells starts - they begin to stick together into coin columns, which without immediate correction can lead to the development of transfusion shock and end in death.

At the moment, in the vast majority of cases, transfusion is allowed only if both the blood type and its Rh factor are fully consistent.

The immunogenic danger of 5 other significant antigens (C, c, CW, E and e) is significantly lower. They are determined when multiple transfusions are necessary for a person who has detected immune antibodies, and he requires an individual selection of donor blood.

In addition, about 1% of white-skinned people are carriers of weak variants of the D-antigen, which are combined into the Du (Dweek) subgroup. A characteristic difference of this subgroup is that in such people the red blood cells are weakly expressed or never stick together in reactions during direct agglutination.

Therefore, today, the blood of absolutely all donors and recipients is required to undergo testing for the presence of Du. Donors with the Du antigen are classified as Rh positive.

If such blood is transfused into an Rh-negative recipient, severe transfusion consequences and an immune response are possible. But recipients with Du antigens are considered Rh-negative, and accordingly they are transfused only with Rh-negative blood.

Here is one example that can mislead ordinary people and suggest a change in the Rh factor throughout life. In fact, the Rh factor does not change in people with the Du antigen.

Rhesus and pregnancy

Being Rh negative in a woman can significantly complicate the relationship between mother and fetus and affect the course of pregnancy. A dangerous situation or Rh conflict arises only when the expectant mother has a negative Rh factor, and the child inherited a positive Rh factor from the father at the time of conception. But this situation is not a disaster and depends on 2 points:

What kind of pregnancy is there, how many abortions and miscarriages have there been before;
Does a woman produce antibodies and which ones?

Hemolytic disease in the fetus is caused by certain classes of antibodies, which, due to their small size, can penetrate the placenta and harm the development of the child. Therefore, if antibodies are detected in a pregnant woman, she will definitely be prescribed nonspecific treatment. This does not mean that she will be prescribed any medications and the Rh factor will be able to change for a while. Basically, this will be a course of vitamin-mineral complexes and medications that help relieve allergic reactions.

In severe cases, the plasmapheresis procedure can be used to cleanse the pregnant woman’s blood of antibodies. In particularly rare cases and if the necessary equipment is available, intrauterine blood transfusion in the fetus is possible. But these blood transfusion procedures will not affect the Rh factor, and it will not be able to change in either the mother or the fetus.

With the development of hemolytic disease of the newborn, the child is usually prescribed nursing therapeutic measures, but in especially severe cases, an exchange transfusion may be used, which can also become erroneous evidence of the statement that the Rh factor changes throughout life. Why?

For example, a newborn child with a positive Rh factor is transfused with Rh-negative donor blood, since the mother’s Rh-negative blood began to destroy his own even before birth. Thus, the child lives for some time with a negative Rh factor. But this does not mean that the child’s Rh factor changes forever. When the blood is naturally renewed, Rh will become positive again.

Change in Rh factor

Like blood group, the Rh factor refers to such hemolytic indicators, which are established at conception at the genetic level and do not change under any external or internal circumstances. Again why?

The production of D and other antigens, or lack thereof, is encoded at the DNA level, and will be produced or not produced throughout a person's life. A change in the Rh factor is always caused by mistakes made by laboratory technicians during the study.

Can the Rh factor change throughout life?

Dear interested! I can’t tell you the reasons, but the fact that rhesus can change is an indisputable fact for me! I am 36 years old. All my adult life I lived with 3 grams. res. (-). She donated blood more than once as a donor, in addition to that in clinics, maternity hospitals, hospitals, both before the birth of a child (at 25 years old) and after. And I have no doubt that it is absurd to assume that in all these cases, and there were about 18 of them, all the results were wrong. But 2 years ago I donated blood as a donor. I was surprised to find information about my (+) rhesus in the printout. I tried to explain that this was a mistake. I received an answer that this is a 100% correct result, and, although rare, rhesus can change in some people throughout life. But I am a stubborn person and not very gullible, and therefore, the very next day I went to the regional blood transfusion station, where I received confirmation in the laboratory - yes, I still have group 3, but Rh (+). I’ll be honest, I’m shocked and delighted by this at the same time, because this is very important to me now. Over the past year, I have gone through a big mental and spiritual change and a global reassessment of my life values and goals. During the same period I met true love. For several months now I have been waiting for the arrival of my loved one. We are planning to conceive our unborn child in the summer, we are both preparing for this both mentally and physically. I don’t know whether what I wrote will convince anyone, and there is no such goal. But. I'll say this. A lot is possible in life, regardless of whether we understand the reasons why it happens or not. I wish you all goodness, joy, love, health and peace of mind. Best regards, Ekaterina. Stavropol.

Doctors say that neither Rh nor blood type changes. Everything remains the same. But I read a lot of reviews on the Internet that the blood type or Rh changed throughout life. Also, my sister had blood type 3 until she was 27, and after that she had blood type 4. I think the issue has simply not been studied properly. My sister did tests many times, both before and after.

I was faced with the fact that tests for the Rh factor often come back incorrectly. In the first pregnancy the Rh factor was positive, but in the second it was negative. I rechecked it at the most authoritative place in the city - the blood transfusion center - and it was confirmed positive. So if the tests show different things, you need to double-check them three times; there may be an error in the tests, but the Rh cannot change!

All my life I also believed that blood type and Rh factor are, so to speak, constant values and do not change during a person’s life. But scientists are studying this question more and more, but still have not yet come to a definite answer. After looking on the Internet, I found this interesting article, which explains what a blood type is, the reasons for a possible change in the blood type and the Rh factor of a person’s blood.

The Rh factor cannot change throughout life, it is the same from birth - this is what doctors say. The laboratory assistant may not conduct the analysis in good faith, and therefore the result may be erroneous. There may be isolated cases where the rhesus changed due to a blood transfusion, but this is not written about.

This person is most likely right. If he was a military man, he was injured and the tests were done hastily, something could have been mixed up.

Neither the Rh factor nor the blood type changes throughout life.

I myself know the case of the mistake in the group.

In my presence, a man underwent surgery and his blood type was not entered.

True, the groups were compatible and there was no reaction.

We discovered the mistake when they started pouring in another portion again.

Can your blood type change throughout your life? The concept of blood group and Rh factor

The 21st century is a time that requires strict control over your health. Due to polluted environment, poor diet, and stress, people increasingly began to seek help from a doctor. Blood type and Rh factor are those basic characteristics of the body on which human life in some cases depends (transfusion, organ transplantation, pregnancy and childbirth). Can your blood type change during your life?

This question is periodically raised on the Internet, but getting a definite answer is not easy. Some users write that this cannot be, while others are sure that changing the blood type is possible. Which one is right?

Blood type: what's the point?

Before you figure out whether a person’s blood type can change throughout life, it’s worth understanding what the essence of the classification of blood groups is.

Human blood is a unique biomaterial, which differs from person to person. Its characteristics are determined in the womb.

With blood we receive the set of genetic material that is passed on to us by our father and mother. Direct group determination is a process that detects the presence or absence of specific antibodies in the blood. They are called agglutinins and agglutinogens.

A blood type is a set of special antibodies that are present or not in plasma and cells. Red blood cells - erythrocytes - are capable of producing these substances. The main trigger for the production of antibodies is the presence of antigens. They are divided into two types - A and B. It is these substances that affect the blood group, which is taken as the basis for the AB0 blood group classification system. Due to their different combinations, scientists were able to identify four groups.

1 or 0 blood group. There are no agglutinogens in its composition, but at the same time, this type of blood has type A and B antibodies (agglutinins) in the blood plasma.
Group 2 is designated “A”, this is due to the content of type A antigen. And there must be antibodies b in the plasma.
Group 3 – antigen B and group A antibodies.
Group 4 is a combination of two types of antigens - A and B, while there are no antibodies in it.

This classification is recognized throughout the world, but sometimes people simply have a poorly developed A-form. It is this fact that leads to the erroneous definition of the group.

Important! Blood type is not able to change during life, since it is a genetically embedded material that a person receives in the womb of the mother.

This feature can lead to accidents if compatibility is not checked in time. To correctly and accurately determine the group, doctors use special reagents to diagnose blood.

Rh factor

Can the Rh factor change throughout life? It is worth remembering that the Rh factor is an inherited element that cannot change. Only those people who do not know what Rhesus is have an erroneous opinion about this blood feature.

In world history, only a single case was recorded when a young 15-year-old girl had a change in Rh.

This happened after a liver transplant. She managed to find out about this change in blood only 6 years after the organ transplant. The girl suffered from an immune disease, during the treatment of which a change in Rh was revealed.

Doctors claim that this could only happen for one reason - the donor’s liver contained stem cells that entered the girl’s bone marrow. Her body accepted these substances and launched new immune processes. An additional factor that influenced the change in Rh could be the fact that the donor was a young guy. His blood had a low number of white blood cells.

Can the Rh factor change? The answer for most scientists remains the same - no. This is a genetic trait that cannot change in a healthy person.

Rhesus conflict - what is it?

Rh positive or negative is an individual trait for each person. It does not affect your well-being in any way, but for a woman this fact is quite important if she plans to get pregnant.

The mother's body perceives the child as a foreign body, and therefore begins active actions to reject it. Antibodies are synthesized in the blood of a pregnant woman, which are aimed at destroying the red blood cells of the child.

At this moment, the level of bilirubin in his body increases, which negatively affects the formation and functioning of the brain. At the same time, the liver and spleen enlarge, since these organs of the child are forced to neutralize and utilize a huge number of dead cells. As a result of the destruction of red blood cells, the child suffers from oxygen starvation, which leads to death if treatment is not started in time.

Attention! The threat of Rh conflict arises only if the mother is Rh- and the father is Rh+. The probability of a conflict developing is 75%. In this case, the first child of this couple is often born healthy, but it is important that the woman does not have contact with positive blood before this.

If there was a miscarriage after a Rh conflict, then Rh sensitization is possible in 3-4%; with normal childbirth, the percentage increases to 10-15.

Prevention and treatment in case of likelihood of Rh conflict

In order to timely determine the risk of developing such a reaction in the mother’s body, she is recommended to donate blood every month until the 32nd week of pregnancy. When the period varies between 32 and 35 weeks, the analysis is carried out 2 times a month. Until birth, it is advisable to donate blood every week to determine antibodies. This is the only way to protect the health of mother and child in the womb.

Based on the level of antibodies, medical staff are able to diagnose the likelihood of a conflict developing. After labor is completed, blood is immediately taken from the baby to determine Rh. When the baby is Rh+ and the mother is Rh-, she must be given anti-Rhesus immunoglobulin in the first 72 hours after birth. This is the only way to prevent Rh conflict during the next pregnancy.

Advice! Such prevention must be carried out even if the woman had an ectopic pregnancy, had an abortion, miscarriage or placental abruption. Serum administration is required if the woman has undergone manipulation of the membranes or platelet transfusion.

It is worth starting treatment if the number of antibodies in a woman increases rapidly. The expectant mother is necessarily placed in a perinatal center, where doctors constantly monitor her and the child.

Can blood type change during life due to pregnancy?

On various forums, women who were pregnant prove that their blood type can change due to their interesting position. Allegedly, before pregnancy they had a different group. All these are just further guesses.

A pregnant woman's blood type cannot change. Bearing a child and giving birth in no way affects the group and Rh factor of the pregnant woman. You can find out about another group because:

Errors in previous analysis;
Development of tumors in the body (oncology);
Incorrect blood sampling.

Scientists have proven that a pregnant girl’s body produces a large number of red blood cells, but at the same time the concentration of agglutinogens drops sharply. Only in this case, during the analysis process, the expectant mother may be mistakenly diagnosed with the first blood group, while in fact she has 2,3 or 4.

Can your blood type change due to illness during your life?

The disease, whatever it is, changes the composition of the blood, but it is in no way capable of affecting the group. It’s another matter if valuable antigens are lost due to illness. Chemical processes in the blood are interconnected, so some types of diseases may affect the production of antigens and agglutinogens, but this still does not change the group.

Important! It is possible to mistakenly determine your blood type if the number of red blood cells increases sharply.

This condition can develop due to certain diseases. In addition, rare pathogenic bacteria and microbes are capable of producing enzymes that affect the composition of type A agglutinogens. Due to the pathological effects of such enzymes, type A turns into type B, which may show group 3 instead of 2. If a transfusion is done in such a situation, then an incompatibility reaction may occur.

There is a rare disease called Cooley's disease or thalassemia, which can reduce the production of antigens. Such a change in plasma composition may distort the analysis result. In this condition, patients are often assigned to the first group.

Oncological processes in the body can significantly affect plasma. Leukemia and hematosarcoma have a particularly pronounced effect on the number of antigens.

As a result, thinking that blood type can change is a delusion. Such distortion of the results is possible only in isolated cases, but the group does not change. However, it cannot be correctly identified due to minimal production of antigens or excessive production of red blood cells.

How do you get an incorrect test result?

Blood type is checked immediately after birth. A newborn child must undergo such an analysis. The standard group verification process is simple:

Capillary blood is collected;
The resulting material is transported to the laboratory;
At the third stage, the group itself is tested using reagents;
They issue a conclusion.

Even at these 4 stages, laboratory technicians are capable of making mistakes that could cost the life of the diagnosed patient in the future. In addition, the life of another person depends on the incorrectly indicated result if this patient becomes a donor.

Most often, medical staff make a mistake when test tubes with blood are involuntarily confused. It costs nothing to swap them. Not all laboratory technicians approach the blood sampling procedure correctly and responsibly.
No one has canceled the dishonest attitude of medical staff towards the process of processing and disinfection of test tubes.
Collected materials are transported in containers so they can be mixed. Mixing of samples occurs, again, due to an unscrupulous attitude towards work.

At this stage, the possibility of obtaining an erroneous result remains. But a greater number of medical errors occur when directly studying the analysis. This happens for the following reasons:

Incorrect addition of serum directly to the sample;
Use of expired and low-quality reagents;
Failure to comply with hygiene standards in the room where diagnostics are carried out;
Inconsistency in temperature, air humidity or lighting;
Use of outdated equipment;
Human factor, inattention, fatigue.

There is no way to protect yourself from such “diagnosis,” especially if the analysis is carried out in a public medical institution. It is better to check your blood type in several laboratories. It is because of negligent medical staff that most people wonder whether the Rh factor or blood type can change.

Rare causes of errors

The group cannot change - this is a fact, but the so-called subtypes of the group can distort the result of the analysis. These are quite rare features of blood that can only be diagnosed by modern methods of processing the material.

Such changes occur if:

There are subtypes of type A antigen in the blood. To understand this feature, you need to know that each antigen has two types - A1 and A2. Both of these types are capable of sticking to foreign bodies in different ways, which leads to diagnostic errors in the process of diagnosing group 4. As a result, the agglutination reaction does not proceed properly, which leads to the appearance of a false group.
Uncharacteristic clumping of red blood cells. When excessive agglutination of antibodies occurs, an autoimmune process develops in the plasma. Such a reaction may affect the result of the analysis. It is for this reason that a patient may become a false owner of group 4.
Presence of erythrocyte chimeras. Doctors note such changes in the blood only in very rare cases. Often, such reactions occur in the blood of heterozygous twins who have not yet reached an early age. The appearance of erythrocyte chimeras is due to the presence of a large number of different populations of erythrocytes. When an analysis is carried out, different red blood cells may react, which leads to a false result.

Important! This factor is especially important, since during bleeding, when an urgent blood transfusion is required, the body of such a person can trigger a reaction of massive destruction of blood cells.

The presence of a “false erythrocyte chimera.” This rare condition can only develop due to systemic diseases or due to the development of sepsis. The blood begins to thicken, which leads to the fact that red blood cells are not able to normally enter into the isohemagglutination reaction. In newborns, this occurs due to defective formation of red blood cells. This condition goes away with age.

If these conditions or diseases are diagnosed, then doctors should re-test. It is important to clarify information in time.

Can the Rh factor or blood type change during life? The answer is no, since this is a genetic feature of every person. It is only possible that the result will be distorted due to a number of diseases or medical staff errors. The main thing is to carry out compatibility tests before transfusion, and for accuracy, repeat the analysis in another laboratory.

I have a similar situation now. The first B was diagnosed as Rh-negative, and after the birth she was injected with immunoglobulin (child +). I registered as 2B in LCD No. 1, before that I was at 4, the Rhesus came negative for the first time, and the subsequent ones with the postscript Du, the doctor said not to pay attention, and now the 28th week comes and the Rhesus comes positive. I retake the test - positive. I talked to a doctor from the blood center, she said that they are now looking at other reagents, in which the D antigen can be seen even in small quantities, and he is already talking about positive Rhesus. In short, I’m still in shock, because even at Euromed I took this test 3 years ago, and it was negative. I'm still waiting for a meeting with a perenatologist, what will she say?

So, it's all about the reagents. Write down what the doctor says later. I recently retook it again, so far it’s positive)

Most likely it is a weakly positive Rhesus. Sometimes they write Rh"D". However, the analyzes give different results. Sometimes +, sometimes -. 1% of people have this “third” Rh. There are three of them in my family))

Wow. Thanks, I'll let you know

what a nightmare. Yes, it seems like this is an elementary analysis, how can you make a mistake there. And they always check it in hospitals, why didn’t they check it for you during the disease? Some kind of negligence, honestly. It’s good that at least by 36 weeks the situation has cleared up)))

Yes, after digging through a bunch of information, I realized that the Rh factor and blood type never change. There are just hand-assed laboratory assistants!!

Well, at least your post is sound about not always blindly trusting our laboratories, they can make mistakes and do so often. And then yesterday there seemed to be a post about how many people change not only their Rhesus, but also their group))) and they believe that it really changes))))) You just need to double-check everything a hundred times.

It follows that in some people it is almost impossible to accurately determine this characteristic in a typical way. Those. it cannot change, but may be inaccurately defined. This is due to the difficulty of finding those same antigens on the surface of red blood cells. Their complete disappearance may indicate some kind of disease, including acute myeloid leukemia. However, the blood type itself does not change..

Antigens such as A and B of the AB0 system contain carbohydrate molecules connected in chains. To carry out this process, the enzyme glycosyltransferases is required. In patients with acute myeloid leukemia, the activity of this enzyme changes and becomes lower. This is why antigens on the surface of red blood cells may not be detected.

In connection with the above, we can draw a conclusion and give a final answer to the question: is there a possibility that the blood type has changed or can it change at all? No. There is a possibility that an error was made in some of the studies. It is also possible that one of your AB0 antigens is weakly expressed, which is a reason for repeated tests using additional reagents«.

Previously, there was very little information about Rh conflicts, homolytic disease, etc., so they could not save the babies. Needless to say, even now not all clinics administer immunoglobulin

Can the Rh factor change throughout life?

All medical canons adamantly assert that the Rh factor and blood group are categorically unchangeable indicators, they represent an inherited trait received by a person at conception and maintained until death. However, sometimes events still occur that defy rational explanation. Especially with the development of digital information technologies, information that someone’s Rh factor or blood type has changed is increasingly becoming available to people interested in the problem.

If you ask a question on the Internet today: is it possible to change Rhesus during a person’s life, then, no matter how paradoxical it may seem, there will be many answers that are distributed approximately equally. It is worth understanding what the Rh factor of blood is and how realistic its change is in humans.

What is Rh factor

The Rh factor, like the blood group, is a genetically inherited trait, the change of which is impossible under normal (natural) conditions. At least that's what modern science says. Whether a person has a Rh factor, positive or negative, is determined by the presence of the Rh antigen on his red blood cells. Almost eighty-five percent of people's red blood cells have this protein, and their Rh is considered positive. Other people do not have this antigen and are Rh negative.

However, there are other antigens that make up the Rh system that are not as immunogenic. A certain number of people (about one percent) who are Rh positive have the ability to produce anti-Rh antibodies. In the erythrocytes of such a person, the expression of normal Rh antigen is significantly reduced. This state of affairs occasionally forces Rh positive patients to be sent to the negative group. For example, during blood transfusion, the entry of donor positive blood into the patient can provoke an immune conflict.

In addition to the blood transfusion procedure, it is recommended to determine the Rh factor when planning pregnancy in order to timely identify the possibility of an immunological conflict between the unborn child and his mother. The consequence of such a conflict may be the development of hemolytic disease in the child.

Rh factor in various conditions

For the formation (expression) of antigen molecules on red blood cells, the body must synthesize certain proteins. In this case, information about the amino acid sequence (protein structure) is encrypted in DNA. The formation of a specific protein occurs as a result of the work of a certain section of DNA (a specific gene), which is located in a specific place (locus) of the chromosome.

The gene responsible for Rh factor D acts as a dominant gene, which means it suppresses the allelic gene d. As a result, a Rh positive person can have the genotype of one of two types - DD or Dd, and people with Rh negative have only the dd genotype. At conception, a person is transmitted from his parents one gene responsible for the Rh factor, which means that it is possible to obtain three variants of the genotype:

Science claims that an initially formed gene cannot change during life, which means that Rh is a constant value. However, sometimes, quite rarely, incidents do occur; isolated patients express surprise that after the next blood test the Rh factor has changed. In fact, there is almost always an explanation. It does not mean, of course, that there was a change in Rh, it’s just that previous analyzes were performed with an error associated with not very high-quality reagents.

A person who is Rh negative may have the Kel protein in their blood, which can mimic Rh antigens. Such a protein exhibits the qualities of a positive Rhesus.

It is interesting that a person with such blood absolutely cannot be a donor, but only negative blood is allowed to be given to him. Therefore, you need to know that an absolutely accurate result for determining the Rh sign, as well as blood type, can only be provided by genotyping, which is the newest method of studying genes.

Exception to the Rule

A case where the Rh factor changed was nevertheless recorded, it turns out that this can happen. A change in Rh was discovered by Australian doctors in a fifteen-year-old patient after a liver transplant. The girl's immune system parameters have changed.

During organ transplantation, such a phenomenon can only be welcomed, because almost always there is an attempt to reject the transplanted organ by the recipient’s immune system, which poses a danger to life. To prevent this phenomenon, the patient is forced to take medications that suppress the immune system for a long time.

The situation with the young girl did not develop according to the usual scenario. After the liver transplant, doctors undertook all the required procedures, but after some time the patient developed a disease that caused a restructuring of the immune system. An examination after recovery showed that the patient’s blood had somehow become positive of the first group, although before the operation it was the first negative. And the immunity indicators began to change, and as a result they began to correspond to the donor ones.

Doctors are trying to explain the possibility of changing Rhesus by transferring stem cells from a donor liver to the recipient’s bone marrow. As an additional factor that allowed the change in Rh and ensured excellent engraftment of the transplanted liver, the young age of the donor is accepted, due to which there was a very low level of leukocytes in his blood.

However, today this fact is isolated. Nowhere else have doctors recorded another case of such serious changes as a result of transplantation. In the case under consideration, the liver transplant caused an effect similar to the consequences of a bone marrow transplant. It is noted that the girl’s condition is so good that she does not even need frequent hospital stays. Regular consultations with a hepatologist are quite sufficient.

Cutting-edge science on rhesus reversal

Not a sensation yet, but somewhere nearby. Scientists at the Brazilian institution São João do Meriti, after many studies conducted among their patients who underwent spleen and liver transplantation, came to the conclusion that the protein found on red blood cells can change. Of course, this requires a coincidence of certain circumstances, but this conclusion indicates that a change in Rh is possible during life.

Studies have concluded that almost twelve percent of patients are at risk of changing the polarity of the Rh factor due to transplantation. The change can occur in any direction, and the blood type does not change.

According to Dr. Itar Minas, the responsible specialist, the transplant results in a significant restructuring of the functioning of the immune system. This is especially noticeable in the case of transplantation of organs directly responsible for the synthesis of erythrocyte antigen. He explains this by saying that during the process of engraftment of a new organ, its stem cells can take over part of the hematopoietic functions of the bone marrow.

The result of this may be a change in rhesus, despite the encoding of the molecular structure of antigens at the gene level by the appropriate mechanism. According to the research team, the age of both the donor and recipient is of great importance. Brazilian doctors are confident that in younger patients the possibility of antigen modification is much higher than in older ones. In addition, they pay attention to the content of information about protein determinants in chromosomal loci and alleles, but their exact number has not yet been established. Presumably some of them allow a change in rhesus.

Thus, the still fantastic statements about the alleged change in the Rh factor are beginning to find scientific confirmation. However, the vast majority of such statements are most likely still a common laboratory error.

The Rh factor may change

What is the Rh factor, why is it positive in some people and negative in others, does the Rh factor change throughout life?

Blood is one of the connective tissues of the body; it is a liquid medium containing thousands of different substances. Some of which it simply transports - they are “transit” components. Other substances and cells determine the constancy and individuality of the blood composition; it is this moment that will help to understand whether the Rh factor changes throughout life.

One of the constant components of blood is the Rh factor.

Does the Rh factor change throughout life? The answer to the question can be unequivocal: no, it does not change.

The presence of the Rh factor is determined genetically. If a person (by inheritance) has a gene encoding the production of D-antigen, then the Rh factor is present in the blood throughout life and the Rh factor in this person is positive Rh+. If the D antigen is not produced, then the person does not have the Rh factor and is considered negative Rh-.

What is Rh factor and what are its functions?

The rhesus system (if its name is associated with monkeys, this is no coincidence; this factor was first identified in rhesus monkeys, hence the name) includes many protein-antigens. It is now believed that the number of these antigens in the Rh system is about 50, the main ones are coded by letters:

Of these antigens, the most “active” in terms of the immune system is protein D, which is called the Rh factor. This protein is located on the very surface of red blood cells. 85% of people have this factor, and it (Rh factor) does not change throughout life. The remaining part of the population does not have the D antigen in their blood, and the composition of their blood according to the Rh factor also does not change throughout life.

Antigen D is part of transmembrane proteins that make up ion channels - for transporting various molecules inside the erythrocyte. Its presence is constant, such as blood type or hair color or skin color.

The percentage of Rh positive population - 85% - is a statistic for the Caucasian race. Among blacks there is a much larger Rh+ population - 93%, and among Indians and Asians the number of representatives with Rh+ reaches 99%.

The influence of the Rh factor on pregnancy and how it is transmitted to the child

It will be especially useful for expectant mothers with the absence of the Rh factor (Rh-) to understand: how can this individual feature affect pregnancy and the health of the unborn baby? The most important thing here is what Rh their significant other has:

If a man is Rh- (negative), then there is no need to worry about complications associated with an Rh conflict - the unborn child will not have a D-antigen;
If a man has Rh+, there is a possibility of a gene combination in a child with or without D-antigen. That is, a child’s Rh factor can be either positive or negative. It is impossible to accurately predict the transmission from the father of the gene encoding the formation of the Rh factor.

In any case, pregnancy planning for a woman with Rh- should be carried out with mandatory consultation with specialists.

The first pregnancy, in a greater percentage of cases, does not cause an obvious Rh conflict, even if there is a Rh factor in the blood of the unborn child. But at the same time, the mother’s body becomes sensitized (readiness is activated) for the next appearance of such a protein, and a pool of antibodies to the D-protein accumulates. And, in repeated cases of conceiving children, the production of antibodies to the D-antigen is very active, possibly affecting the red blood cells of the fetus in utero. The earlier the aggressive effect of maternal antibodies on the child’s red blood cells occurs, the more serious the consequences for the baby’s health, and HDN is possible.

Hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN)

This is a pathological process of destruction (hemolysis) of red blood cells in the child’s blood under the influence of antibodies carried with the mother’s blood through the umbilical cord. It appears already on the 1st day of life with a bright yellow color of the skin. In contrast to physiological jaundice of newborns:

manifestations of tension-type headache affect the baby’s condition, severe anemia may develop;
the liver is not able to process the increased amount of breakdown products;
a significant increase in bilirubin (over 240 µmol/l);
manifestations last more than 10 days;
possible increase in the size of the liver and spleen;
with a prolonged increase in bilirubin in the blood, it may accumulate in the brain with the development of kernicterus (a serious complication of tension-type headache).

The Rh factor does not change throughout life, and therefore it is important for an Rh- woman to take into account all pregnancies from an Rh+ man (not necessarily full-term - abortions, missed pregnancies, and stillbirths are taken into account). In all these cases, the body is activated; the mother’s body perceives the presence of the Rh factor in the fetus as a foreign protein, which her immune system begins to fight. The memory of these antigens remains in the form of “immune memory” in the blood throughout life.

Can a person's Rh factor change during their lifetime?

Greetings, dear friends! Many of us are concerned about the question: can a person’s Rh factor change during his life? In fact, the question is interesting and controversial, because science tells us one thing, but people tell us another. Well, let's look into this issue.

What is Rh factor?

To begin with, you should find out the meaning of this definition. This, as you all know, is another qualitative assessment of a blood characteristic parameter, depending on the presence or absence of D-antigen in the human body. This indicator is congenital (!).

The presence of protein molecules D - antigen is a sign of positive Rhesus (Rh+). Their absence is correspondingly negative (RH-).

The second case is less common. Its owners are only about 15% of the world's population. The remaining 85% of the population has a plus sign.

As you already understand, there is no intermediate option. There are only two of them: either “positive” or “negative”.

How is Rh factor transmitted?

This indicator is given to a person from birth.

Typically, the probability of acquiring one or another rhesus is as follows:

A positive father and mother give a 75% chance of a positive Rh in the child and a 25% chance of a negative one.
Negative parents mean a 100% chance of a negative baby.
If one of the parents is “positive” and the other is “negative”, the child has an equal chance (50% / 50%) of having both rhesus.

I would especially like to highlight the case when the mother has a “minus”. In this case, certain difficulties may arise during pregnancy. The occurrence of Rhesus conflict is especially dangerous (when the mother and the fetus are “minus” and “plus”, respectively).

In this case, a number of serious complications may arise, but all of them can be eliminated if you strictly follow the instructions and recommendations of your doctor. In extremely severe cases, a plasmapheresis procedure is performed, which, in essence, is the process of purifying the mother’s blood from antibodies or an intrauterine blood transfusion of the fetus (however, this will not cause a change in the Rh factor in either the mother or her baby).

Can the Rh factor change?

There is a lot of controversy at the moment. As mentioned above, this is an innate indicator, not acquired. Consequently, a person receives it at conception and it remains unchanged until the moment of death. Then why was there such a stir around this issue?

Lately (especially with the development of digital and computer technologies), we can increasingly hear about cases of the so-called change of Rh factor: when a person had one throughout his life, and then suddenly changed to the opposite one. What could have caused this?

The thing is that people with negative Rhesus have “Kel” proteins in their blood, which can, under certain conditions, exhibit the qualities of a positive Rhesus factor. This means that if the doctor does not work correctly or uses poor quality reagents, the analysis results may be erroneous, which causes confusion for patients.

However, I would like to mention one, only (!) scientifically recorded case. After a liver transplant, a fifteen-year-old Australian woman completely changed all her immune system parameters, and her Rh changed from “minus” to “plus.” However, the blood type remained the same, first.

In my opinion, it is also worth mentioning one scientific study that promises to be sensational. Brazilian scientists, in the course of a series of experiments, discovered that during liver and spleen transplantation (with the coincidence of many additional conditions, of course), the protein found in red blood cells can change. This means that a change in Rh during life is possible (and the blood type always remains the same).

Thus, this theory is slowly acquiring scientific background, however, there is still no indisputable evidence to confirm it.

That, my dear listeners, is all. If you are interested in additional questions, leave a comment. I am always glad to communicate with you. See you again!

Can blood type change and why?

You can find various information about blood type on Internet sources. One of the frequently asked questions is whether this parameter changes throughout life?

Some claim that this has happened to them. But most experts prove that such a phenomenon is impossible, because group membership is a hereditary parameter.

Sometimes a blood test shows a result that is significantly different from the previous one. Can a person’s blood type change and why examination data may not match - questions the answers to which can be found in this article.

Basic Concepts

A blood group is the totality of its properties that a person receives in the womb. This is an inherited trait, a specific molecular set consisting of white and red blood cells and platelets.

Determination of group membership is carried out using an antigen (another name is agglutinogen), to which there is a specific antibody. When they are combined, red blood cells stick together.

Agglutinogens can be found in human saliva and other biological material in the body. In medicine, their varieties are designated by the Latin letters β - “beta” and α - “alpha”.

Depending on the number of agglutinogens, 4 group affiliations are determined:

First. It is also called zero. In the decryption it is designated “0”. Characterized by the presence of alpha and beta antibodies in the blood, but the absence of agglutinogens in the membrane of red cells.
Second. Denoted as "A". This variety is characterized by the presence of beta antibodies and antigen A in the membrane of red blood cells.
Third. Designated "B". Consists of antibody A in the blood and antigen B in the membrane of red cells.
Fourth. Characterized by the absence of alpha and beta antibodies. But in the erythrocyte membrane it has antigens A and B, therefore it is designated “AB”.

At the initial stage of development, ABO antigens appear in the embryo. Closer to birth, a significant amount of these structures are already in the child’s blood. This parameter is a hereditary factor and therefore cannot be changed.

This characteristic is determined using a blood test. Every person needs to know it, since all groups have different effects on each other. Information about this parameter in the analysis can help save one's own or someone else's life during transfusion.

Rh factor

This is a protein that is found on the membrane of red blood cells and is called an agglutinogen. Depending on its presence or absence, two rhesus are determined:

Negative. Characterized by the absence of this protein. In the world, about 15-20% of people have this rhesus.
Positive. The protein mentioned is present.

If there is a change in the examination results, this may indicate an incorrect analysis or an error in decoding.

Is it possible to change group and rhesus?

According to doctors, blood type cannot change throughout life.

There are cases when conventional research methods do not give reliable results, and the data when deciphered do not match. Changes are provoked by various factors.

This phenomenon is explained by the fact that alpha and beta red blood cells are poorly expressed or the body is experiencing some atypical condition. Changes in the parameter are observed in women during pregnancy, as well as during certain pathological processes in the body. Men make fewer mistakes.

People's group affiliation does not change with age. If they put a different number than what was before, this means that the indicator was not determined with one hundred percent certainty.

Can it change during transfusion?

After a blood transfusion, the group remains the same. However, scientists tend to believe that changes are possible if a person receives a bone marrow transplant. Theoretically, this is possible if the bone marrow dies and another group is donated. In practice, such cases are rare.

Pregnancy and childbirth: are changes possible?

Many women talk about changes in test results during pregnancy and after childbirth.

This is due to the fact that during pregnancy, the production of red blood cells is activated, so the number of red blood cells increases. As the number of red cells increases, the amount of agglutinogens begins to decrease, so the red blood cells stop connecting.

In this case, the first group is most often found in women, although the real group may be the fourth, third or second.

In what cases is it possible to change the blood type?

A sign such as a change in blood characteristics may indicate the occurrence of various pathologies in the body. Most often this phenomenon is observed in diseases such as:

blood cancer (hematosarcoma, leukemia);
other oncological diseases;
pathologies of the hematopoietic system (thalassemia).

In such cases, there is a decrease in the number of antigens in the plasma, so they are poorly expressed and traditional studies to determine group affiliation do not give a 100% result. The analysis may show a different indicator, but this does not mean that this property of the blood has changed.

It is possible to change the phenotype after infectious diseases. This is because some pathogens produce an enzyme that converts antigen A into something similar to antigen B. The number of antigens may also change, leading to incorrect interpretation of the test result.

Invalid group definition

There is always a risk of error:

in case of violation of the rules for collecting material and its transportation;
directly when identifying the group using laboratory methods;
when decoding the result.

Most often, the group is incorrectly identified due to medical error and dishonest work of medical staff. Errors in the analysis are also possible due to the use of expired reagents or the incorrect sequence of introducing serum into the blood sample.

Thus, neither the blood type nor the Rh of a person’s blood can change, because these properties are determined by a hereditary factor and are established during the period of intrauterine development.

True, sometimes there are cases when analysis shows a different result over time. This occurs due to an error or weakly expressed agglutinogens due to various factors, such as pregnancy, childbirth, cancer, pathologies of the circulatory and hematopoietic systems.

Does a person's blood type change throughout life? People who claim that their blood group has changed are most likely the victims of an incorrectly performed blood group test. Today there are much more opportunities to carry out accurate analysis. Whether your blood type can change is a rather complicated question. Many people believe that this can happen, but this is impossible, since this is a genetic feature of the body. This indicator is formed during intrauterine development, and pregnancy or any pathologies cannot affect it.

About blood groups

To understand whether blood type can change, you need to become more familiar with this concept.

At the moment there are four of them in the world:

zero or first. In this case, the presence of alpha and beta antibodies in the plasma is detected, but antigens are not found on the surface of red blood cells;
A or the second one. The surface of erythrocytes is coated with anti-A, and in the plasma - antigens B;
B or third. The surface of red blood cells contains anti-B, and the plasma contains anti-A;

AB or fourth. The membrane of red blood cells contains antigens A and B, but plasma does not.

Based on this, it becomes clear that this indicator is understood as a combination of certain types of antigens on the membranes of blood cells. Human blood is classified according to only two indicators. This is a group and a Rh factor. This question, whether the Rh factor can change, also arises for many. The Rh factor of the blood may differ depending on whether or not there is a special protein on the membrane of red blood cells. Rhesus can be negative and positive. It is determined using special tests.

So, blood groups are distinguished based on a number of parameters. In fact, the number of antigens is much higher. Scientists believe that their number can reach hundreds, but to make it easier to calculate, they have identified only four main ones.

About the Rh factor

In the 20th century, professors Landsteiner and Wiener discovered a special type of protein. It was found on the membrane of red cells. If it is present, Rh positive is assigned, and if it is absent, Rh negative is assigned. This indicator is determined together with the blood group, although they do not depend on each other.

There are such types of rhesus:

Negative. Fifteen percent of the world's inhabitants have a negative Rh factor. This means they don't have this protein on the surface of their red blood cells.
Positive. The owners of this rhesus are all other people.

Everyone must know their group and rhesus. This is especially necessary for women who plan to become pregnant in the future, since if these indicators do not match, the risk of Rh conflict increases. Because of this, the outcome of the pregnancy may be unfavorable. This problem occurs in nine percent of all pregnant women.

A special protein, the presence or absence of which determines the Rh factor, is an agglutinogen. This is an immunological property that appears in a person from birth. These indicators do not change from birth to death. They are a feature of a person.

When can a blood type change occur?

This indicator is determined by how the red cells stick together. This procedure is carried out using a special substance containing agglutinins and blood. Each type of antibody is placed separately and a drop of blood is added to it. After this, a microscope is used to monitor how the red blood cells stick together. The procedure is carried out over five minutes. The group depends on what the result will be.

Does a person's blood type change throughout life? Only a specialist can determine this. But all scientists claim that under normal conditions it is impossible to observe a change in blood type.

A changing indicator can only be detected in the following cases:

if the production of red blood cell antigens has stopped;
antigen production was significantly reduced.

There is an assumption that this can happen if a person suffers from an infectious or oncological disease, in pathologies characterized by increased production of red blood cells, as well as during pregnancy. These reasons may cause laboratory testing to show little or no antigen response. But the blood type can only change for a while. Only in such conditions can you see that the test results have changed.

Thus, when asked whether the Rh factor or blood group can change, the answer should be that this is impossible. Regardless of whether Rh is positive or negative, it remains so and does not change under any conditions.

Age or any pathological processes do not cause the group or Rh factor to change. If laboratory tests show changes, then we can only assume a specialist error: it is advisable to go through the procedure again. No other reasons can cause such changes in the blood during life.