How to Find Your Blood Type Without Taking a Blood Test?

Are you curious about knowing your blood type but want to avoid blood testing at the lab? Well, then you’ve hit the right spot to gain complete information on it. Knowing your blood type is important to get assurance of good health and seek any other medical treatment if required. There are many simple yet effective techniques to find your blood type mentioned below. 

Before knowing the testing process, it is important to seek basic information about blood composition and blood types. Antigens are the main substances in the blood that determine blood types. Their absence or presence decides individuals’ blood types. They are also responsible for triggering the immune response in the body. 

Every blood type consists of antigens named A, B, Both, or neither of them. These antigens surface upon the red blood cells to determine the blood type, along with a protein known as the Rhesus (Rh) factor. The article below can guide you in identifying your blood type and various ways of testing it yourself!

Back to Basics- Blood Types and Testing

Every blood type is made from mainly two blood groups such as ABO and Rh. Both these are evident in determining the blood type. In a typical blood testing process, the doctor draws blood from your arm with a needle at the clinical laboratory or the hospital. The method includes two main types such as:

• Forward Typing: In this method, blood cells and antibodies are mixed using type A and type B blood. If the cells stick, it means the blood cells met with a reaction to any of the antibodies. When blood cells agglutinate with antibodies for the type B blood, it means you have a type B blood group.
• Reverse Typing: Also known as ‘Back Typing,’ reverse typing is a testing process in which the liquid levels in your blood without red blood cells are mixed with blood cells from type A or type B. If you have antibodies against type B blood, then your blood group is Type A, and vice versa. 

If the blood serum consists of both anti-A or anti-B antibodies, then the person has a Type ‘O’ blood type. In conventional ABO Blood testing, both forward and reverse typing processes are included for the result confirmation. 

What are Different Blood Types?

The blood types are mainly divided into A with antigen A, B with Antigen B, AB with both antigens, and O with neither or the antigens in them. Further, the ABO and Rh types split into other common sub-divisions like A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+, AB-, O+, and O-. 

Blood types are also inherited from parents as the combinations of antigens present in their blood pass to the children. However, if both parents have the O blood group, then the child also inherits the O blood type only, unlike the other cases. 

Can I Find My Blood Type at Home?

Yes, at-home blood testing kits are available in the market with instructions imprinted on them. You just need to prick your finger with the lancet and pour a few blood drops over the special card. Now, wait for the blood to clump or spread out at various positions to identify the reaction that determines the blood type. 

We advise you to read and understand the guide thoroughly before beginning the blood testing process. Read through the testing steps and instructions to find the results accurately. 

These kits are usually used in case of medical emergencies or to find the blood type on an urgent basis. In many home blood testing kits, you can also see the fluid vials to display the results of your blood group. 

How to Know Your Blood Group for Free?

Blood donation camps are a perfect place to do your part for goodness and learn about your blood type without paying anything. Many NGO’s and Charitable institutions are carrying out blood donation drives in various parts of the country. You can enroll there or visit the campsite after a basic health check-up to ensure you are allowed to donate blood. 

The blood donation center staff can help you determine your blood type after a few weeks of donation. You usually receive a donor card after 4-6 weeks of blood donation, and your blood type is mentioned there. They do not test the blood right away, so you might have to wait sometime until the results are out. 

Other Ways of Identifying your Blood Type without Testing

Below are the multiple other ways of finding out your blood type without testing:

1. Ask Your Doctor or Parents: It is always the first option to confirm with your parents about your blood group, as they have your past vaccination or health records with them. Taking a consultation with your family doctor is another option, as they may have your blood type listed in their old records. 
2. Saliva Test: Another way to identify blood type is through saliva testing. Around 80% of people secrete their blood type antigens in saliva, and it helps in finding the blood group immediately. You can get saliva test kits online or at medical stores. 
3. Blood Drawn: Whenever you have blood drawn, make sure to know your blood type as well. If you have taken a blood test before, it might be recorded with the lab staff. Just visit and ask for it. Their staff can guide you through the process. 

Key Takeaways

Great! Now you know it all to identify your blood type or group without the testing process. It is important to be aware of your blood type so as to extend help or seek help in moments of medical emergencies or requirements.

Whether you ask a doctor, take at-home tests, refer to old medical records, or get the blood type with mucus or saliva examination, the results are going to correct most of the time. For the saliva test, you must be amongst the people who secrete the blood-type antigens along with the other body fluids. It can aid in finding out the exact blood type. 

These are just other supplementary methods for knowing blood types and cannot beat the medical blood testing processes by any means. The level of accuracy, right methodology, and precision of testing adopted by clinical laboratories help in getting the right outcomes. However, you can always try secondary ways to curb your curiosity about blood types.

Please share your views and opinions in the comment section below about the right ways to know your blood type. Stay tuned for updates on health and well-being. 

Be Health Friendly Always!