Blood Group Compatibility Table for Marriage.

Aside from genotype, most people do not care to know the blood group of their spouse before getting married. This is because most people believe that it doesn’t matter. However, knowing your blood group compatibility with your partner’s is very crucial especially as it regards to Rhesus factor, pregnancy and miscarriage.

If you are in a ‘serious’ relationship or planning to get married, you need to know your partner’s blood group and understand the blood group compatibility table for marriage.

The blood group matching table is a chart that displays which blood groups couples can safely pair with, donate or receive blood from and those that are not safe and can result in complications. 

KEY POINTS:

• According to the ABO blood grouping system, the blood is grouped into 4: A, B, AB, and O.
• The presence or absence of the Rhesus factor or D antigen is denoted by +, or positive for present, and -, or negative for absent.
• The blood group compatibility table for marriage is used to:
  1. prevent blood transfusion reactions as transfusing mismatched blood can result in serious complications and probably death.
  2. know if your partner’s blood type is compatible with yours in case of organ transplant, bone marrow donation, or stem cell therapy.
  3. to be more aware of your risk of developing certain medical conditions such as infertility and cardiovascular diseases.
  4. prevent hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN)which can result in miscarriage, anemia, brain damage, or stillbirth.
• Talk to an Expert Doctor on KompleteCare for professional guidance and medical advice 

What you should know about blood groups

Human blood consists of plasma, platelets, and red and white blood cells. The surface of the red blood cells is covered by antigens. Antigens are protein and sugar molecules that trigger the immune system to react to a foreign body. There are different types of antigens, and just like other genes, they are passed from parents to their children.

Blood is grouped into different types using different systems. The most common systems used to classify blood are the ABO and the Rhesus factor blood grouping systems. These systems group blood according to the antigen on its red blood cells.

The ABO and Rhesus factor blood grouping system

According to the ABO blood grouping system, the blood is grouped into four different types. They are blood types:        

• A
• B
• AB
• O

Using the Rhesus system, these blood groups are further grouped into eight blood types depending on the presence or absence of another antigen known as D antigen or Rhesus factor (Rh). The presence or absence of this antigen is denoted by +, or positive for present, and -, or negative for absent. So, the eight blood types are:

• A+
• A –
• B+
• B –
• AB+

• AB-
• O+
• O-

Of these different blood groups, some can be donated to others, while some cannot. To donate or receive blood, plasma, or organs, the blood group of the donor has to match (be compatible) with that of the recipient.

Blood type O- is known as the universal donor. It can donate blood to all the different blood types but can only receive from O-. it is one of the rare blood types.

AB+ is known as the universal recipient. It is another rare blood type; it can receive blood from all the blood groups but can only be donated to blood type AB+.

When it comes to plasma donation, it is the reverse of blood transfusion. Blood type AB is the universal plasma donor while blood type O is the universal recipient.

The importance of knowing your blood group

There are several reasons why knowing your blood type is important. It can help you:

• To know which blood type is compatible with yours. This can help save your life or someone else’s life in situations where potential donors are needed for blood transfusion, organ transplant, bone marrow donation, or stem cell therapy.
• Prevent transfusion reactions, which occur when your body rejects blood that does not match your own blood. Transfusing mismatched blood can result in serious complications such as low blood pressure, kidney failure, fever, chills, and probably death.
• To be more aware of your risk of developing certain medical conditions. A lot of studies have linked different blood groups with issues such as infertility and cardiovascular diseases.
• Prevent hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN). HDN is a blood disorder that occurs when the blood type of a pregnant woman does not match that of her unborn baby. The incompatibility in blood type causes the antibodies in the mother’s blood to attack and break down the red blood cells of the fetus. This can cause jaundice, anemia, brain damage, or stillbirth.

Why couples should study and understand the blood group compatibility table for marriage

In the case of a medical emergency where blood or platelet transfusion, bone marrow, or organ transplant is required, medical doctors do need donors with matching blood types to safely and successfully carry out the procedure. Understanding the blood group matching table for marriage can help couples understand the blood group that is compatible with theirs.

A matching or compatible blood group means that the immune system of the recipient would not react negatively to the transfused blood or transplanted organ, which could be life-threatening.

The blood group matching table helps couples to know which blood groups they can safely donate or receive blood or organs from if medically required. For couples whose blood groups match, it can be an advantage. In a life-and-death situation where immediate blood transfusion is required, a person can quickly donate to save the lives of their partners, or family members if they are healthy and their blood type matches.

The blood group compatibility table for marriage

Below is a blood group compatibility table for each blood type:

Partner with blood group	Can get from blood group	Can donate blood to blood group
O-	O-	All blood group
O+	O-, O+	O+, A+, B+, AB+
A-	A-, O-	A-, AB-
A+	A+, A-, O-, O+	A+, AB+
B-	B-, O-	B-, AB-
B+	B+, B-, O+, O-	B+, AB+
AB-	AB-, A-, B-, O-	AB-. AB+
AB+	All blood groups	AB+

Same Blood Group Marriage: Husband and Wife with Same Blood Group

As long as the couple are not related by blood, there is no harm in couples with the same blood type and the same Rhesus factor getting married. For instance, a male with blood type O+ and a female with blood type O+ can get married.

It won’t affect their children. In fact, the possibility that their kids will inherit the same blood type as them is high. 

However, in a case where the male has a positive Rhesus factor and that of the female is negative, the baby or fetus may be at risk of hemolytic disease of the new born.

Couples with the same blood group are compatible, but their blood match is considered safe. In an emergency, both can donate blood and organs to each other without complications just as most siblings do.

READ ALSO:

• Rhesus Factor Compatibility to Avoid Miscarriage
• Can Beecham Ampiclox Prevent Pregnancy after Unprotected Sex?
• Why It’s Important to Drink Water After Sex

How does marriage between couples with unmatched blood groups affect babies?

There is no evidence that proves that a successful and happy marriage depends on the blood group of the couple. 

The blood type only becomes an issue when a mother is pregnant with a baby with an incompatible blood group.

If by any chance the blood of the baby comes in contact with that of the mother, it may trigger the mother’s immune system to form antibodies that will attack subsequent pregnancies. It is less severe if it is ABO incompatibility but more fatal if it is a case of Rhesus incompatibility. 

Conclusion

To most people, having a partner whose blood group matches is not a deal breaker because their happiness as married couples does not depend on their blood group. They are right, but accidents do happen, and there might be an urgent need for blood transfusion.

Instead of panicking and looking for a potential donor, or going to different blood banks in search of a matching blood type, you can save yourself the stress by knowing you and your partner’s blood group.

If it is compatible with your partner’s blood type, then good for you! If not, you can check for a person with a matching blood group among your other family members and friends, whom you can reach out to when the need arises. If you do not know your blood type, you can book an appointment with a hospital for a test to determine your blood type. For personalized medical advice on blood group compatibility, Talk to a Doctor right away on KompleteCare.

References 

• American Red Cross. (n.d.). Facts about blood and blood types.
• The American National Red Cross. (2023). Know Your Blood Type
• Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. (n.d) Matching blood groups | Lifeblood
• American Society of Hematology. (2023). Blood Safety and Matching – Hematology.org
• Bethesda Dean L. (2005) Hemolytic disease of the newborn – Blood Groups and Red Cell Antigens – NCBI Bookshelf