All blood types matter, and all blood types are needed on a consistent basis. Still, some may wonder how this can be the case if, for example, only 1% of the population has type AB Negative blood. Not many people can receive it, so why is it important?
For starters, 1% of the population is still a lot of people. There are roughly 335 million Americans, meaning around 3.35 million Americans are type AB Negative – the rarest type. For every AB Negative patient transfused with AB negative, that one more unit of O Negative – or any other negative blood type – remains on the shelf for a patient who needs it. The same is true for all other rare blood types.
There’s another big reason there’s always a need for donors from each blood type – each type has an ideal donation type. Your ideal type could be whole blood, double reds, platelets, or plasma, and each component is always needed.
O Negative, as many know, is the universal blood type, meaning any hospital patient can receive it. What many might not know is that there is a universal type for plasma, too – AB Positive and AB Negative. Donors who give these types are crucial for patients like burn victims or trauma victims, who urgently need plasma transfusions.
Each blood type is uniquely equipped to make an impact. Every donor makes a difference for a patient in need. If you’re interested in learning more about your ideal donation type, A4E6 – our friendly apheresis droid – can help.