A person is endowed with a certain blood group even when he is in the mother’s womb. This is the same genetically transmitted trait as the color of the skin, eyes, remaining for life. But still there are opinions that a change in the blood group is quite possible. We will try to figure out whether the blood type can change, or is it just the result of an error when performing the analysis?
Blood type determination
Classification according to the ABO system is widespread in the world, in the framework of which there are four blood groups established by analysis. To conduct it, four serums with antibodies are needed, into which blood is added. The laboratory assistant monitors the reaction of red blood cells and the process of their connection. According to the results of agglutination, group membership is determined.
Blood groups of the ABO system are the main ones and are used for transfusion. 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 sign that a person is endowed with at birth, and having a certain composition of agglutinogens and agglutinins, genetically encoded. In all respects, it would seem impossible to talk about a change in the blood group. 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 further.
Analysis error
An erroneously performed analysis to establish the patient's blood group is possible. Despite the simplicity of this procedure, the likelihood of an incorrect result can never be ruled out, so at some stage in life a person may think that he has a different blood type.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy can also affect the outcome. 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 if the blood type in life is changing.
Diseases
There are diseases, during the course of which the composition of red blood cells can also increase, as was the case in the previous case, and the blood group can 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 the transfusion of group B is in any case impossible, as it will cause incompatible reactions. Thus, the change is temporary. So, thalassemia (Cooley disease) can reduce the content of antigens. Cancers can also contribute to these changes.
Thus, under certain conditions, the results of analyzes may temporarily be different, but a change in group affiliation is, in principle, impossible. Therefore, the answer to the question of whether the blood type can change will be negative.
Rhesus factor
In medicine, it is categorically stated that the Rhesus factor and blood type are constant indicators, inherited properties obtained even at conception and remaining to death. But sometimes events happen that cannot be explained by a rational method. Opinions about the possibility of changing the blood type and rhesus also occur. We will find out if the blood type and Rh factor are changing.
The Rh factor is a sign that has a genetic origin, and its change in vivo is not feasible. To determine it, you need to check the presence of Rh antigen on red blood cells. In 85% of humanity, this protein is detected, and Rh is positive. The rest, respectively, have a negative indicator.
But there are antigens in the Rhesus system that are not so immunogenic. In some people, with positive Rhesus, the ability to produce opposite antibodies is detected, and the expression of the standard Rh antigen is significantly reduced. In this case, positive patients are assigned to the negative group. For example, if donated blood enters a patient, an immune conflict may occur.
Rhesus should be determined in the process of pregnancy planning in order to promptly identify a possible immunological conflict between the fetus and the mother, as a result of which the child may have a hemolytic disease.
So does the blood type change during life? There are exceptions to the rules. About it further.
Unique case
A case of a change in the Rhesus factor was once recorded by Australian doctors in a girl after a liver transplant. Then she changed all the properties of the immune system.
During transplantation, this phenomenon is very welcome, since most often the body tries to tear away a new organ, which poses a threat to the patient's life. To prevent this development of events, the patient is prescribed a long-term administration 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 of women changes.
Custom scenario
The case of a fifteen-year-old girl went not 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, according to the results of which it turned out that the blood somehow mysteriously became positive, although before the transplantation of the liver it was negative. As a result, even the readings of immunity became the same as that of the donor.
Doctors explain this case by the transfer of stem cells of a donor organ to the girl’s bone marrow. An additional reason could serve as her young age, because of which there was a small content of leukocytes in the blood. However, such a case is still an isolated one; no more such phenomena have been recorded.
Therefore, when asked if a person’s blood type is changing, you need to safely answer: “No”. But the Rhesus factor may change.
Advanced Rhesus Teaching
Researchers at the Brazilian Institute in São João de Meriti, after many trials conducted among patients who underwent a spleen and liver transplant, concluded that protein on red blood cells could change under certain conditions.
Studies show that almost 12% of patients after transplantation are at risk of changing the sign of the Rhesus factor, although the blood group is preserved.
Dr. Itar Minas argues that the functioning of the immune system after organ transplantation is significantly rebuilt, especially those that synthesize the erythrocyte antigen. He explains this by the fact that, during the engraftment of an organ, stem cells are able to take on some hematopoietic functions of the bone marrow, and as a result, a change in the polarity of the rhesus is possible.
Significant are also the age of the donor and recipient. Young people have more potential for antigen restructuring than older people. This group of scientists believes that the content of information on protein determinants that are located in the chromosomal alleles and loci (their exact number has not yet been established) also has an effect. It is assumed that some of them may allow the possibility of changes in the Rh factor.
So we figured out the question of whether the blood type can change throughout life.