Why is Type A Blood so Important
Here's Why Blood Type Matters
The importance of knowing your blood type is to prevent the risk of receiving an incompatible blood type if a transfusion is needed. If the wrong blood types are mixed, it can lead to a clumping of blood cells that can be potentially fatal. A blood transfusion can be needed for many reasons, including: surgeries, cancer treatment, traumatic injuries, delivery difficulties during labor, and anemia.
Learn More About Your Blood Type Compatibility
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Type A Negative
- Only 1 in 16 people have A negative blood.
- If you have A negative blood you can donate to anyone with a blood type of A or AB regardless of the positive or negative, however if you have A negative blood you can only receive A- or O- blood.
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Type A Positive
- 1 in 3 people are A positive, which is why it is one of the most common blood types.
- As you can imagine A positive blood is in high demand, because it is present in a large percentage of the population.
- Patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments also have a high demand for the platelets from those with the A positive blood type.
Did You Know?
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21 million blood components are transfused in the US each year.
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To meet demands, replenishing the supply of the right blood type is crucial.
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Blood can’t be manufactured and the only supply comes from donors.
Why Donations Are So Important
Latest studies have shown that someone in the US needs a blood transfusion every 2 seconds each day in the United States. The average person can only donate 1 pint of whole blood in a single donation and the shelf life is only 21 to 35 days, which is why the need to keep replenishing the supply to meet demand is great.