What does Rh blood type positive mean?
Disease description:
My physical examination report shows that my RH blood type is positive, but I'm not quite sure what this means. Is this considered a normal blood type? What's the difference between this and common blood types?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Liu Feng
The Rh blood group system is a blood type system in humans, alongside the ABO blood group system. In the Rh blood group system, Rh positive (Rh+) indicates the presence of the D antigen on the surface of red blood cells.
Individuals who are Rh positive can receive either Rh positive or Rh negative blood (only in emergency situations and with strict control of the transfusion volume). However, Rh negative individuals can only receive Rh negative blood; otherwise, it may trigger an immune reaction leading to a risk of hemolysis.
If the mother is Rh negative and the fetus is Rh positive (with the father being Rh positive), the first pregnancy typically has no significant effects. However, during subsequent pregnancies, the mother's body may have become sensitized during the first pregnancy and produced antibodies that attack the fetal red blood cells, causing hemolytic disease of the newborn. This risk generally does not exist for Rh positive mothers.
Rh negative blood is considered rare and is often referred to as "panda blood," whereas Rh positive blood, being more common, ensures a relatively sufficient blood supply. Being Rh positive is a normal blood type and generally does not require special concern. In daily life, there are no differences between Rh positive and Rh negative individuals, although awareness is important for preventing hemolytic reactions and hemolytic disease of the newborn.
