Which Is the Most Common Blood Group in an Indian Population?
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Blood is one of the most essential components of our body. It helps in transferring oxygen and nutrients to all the parts of the body, and helps in removing waste material from the body. It is red in colour, all types of blood perform the same function and look similar to, but are they really the same? In this article, we will learn about what are the characteristic features of blood that differentiate one blood type from another.
What is Blood Type?
Blood type, or the blood group, is a classification system that is used for blood, which helps in differentiating one person's blood from another's. Healthcare providers use this information to determine whether one person's blood is compatible with the other person's blood or not.
If incompatible blood is transferred to the person, then our immune system starts attacking the foreign blood cells, which can further lead to a serious, life-threatening condition, i.e., why it is very important to know the blood group in the medical field
How to Determine Your Blood Group?
There are mainly two blood group systems, which are well recognised and are used in determining the blood group of a person
- ABO system
- Rh (Rhesus) blood group system
There are mainly four types of blood group, i.e., A, B, O, and AB. To determine whether you have a positive or negative blood group, your healthcare provider will check for the presence or absence of the Rh factor. If the Rh protein is present, then you have a positive blood group, and if it is absent, then you have a negative blood group. By using this method, there are a total of 8 types of blood group, which are listed below in the table:
|
Sr. NO |
Antigen |
Rh Factor |
Blood Type |
|
1 |
A |
Present |
A+ |
|
2 |
A |
Absent |
A- |
|
3 |
B |
Present |
B+ |
|
4 |
B |
Absent |
B- |
|
5 |
AB |
Present |
AB+ |
|
6 |
AB |
Absent |
AB- |
|
7 |
O |
Present |
O+ |
|
8 |
0 |
Absent |
O- |
After knowing about the blood type, our healthcare provider can make an informed decision about blood donation and blood transfusion, and it also plays a major role in organ transplant, because if the organ is transplanted to a person who have incompatible blood type, then the body will start rejecting the organ and can lead to a serious condition.
What Are the Most Common Types of Blood Groups Found in India?
To answer this, we have taken a reference from the National Institute of Health Research, the percentage of the most common blood groups in indian population is listed below in the table
|
Sr. NO |
Blood Type |
Percentage in indian population |
|
1 |
O+ |
35% |
|
2 |
A+ |
30% |
|
3 |
A- |
8% |
|
4 |
O- |
13% |
|
5 |
B+ |
8% |
|
6 |
B- |
2% |
|
7 |
AB+ |
2% |
|
8 |
AB- |
1% |
What Are the Rarest Types of Blood Groups in India?
The rarest type of blood group found in indian population is AB- as it is found only in 1percent of indian population. Blood group is considered rare if it is found only in 1 among 1000 people. There are some other rare types of blood groups such as.
- Bombay Blood group: this is a unique blood type as it is found only in the Bombay donors, as the name suggest and found only in 10 people every year
- Golden Blood group: This is the world's rarest blood group, and only a few cases are reported in India.
- CRIB antigen: this blood group was recently discovered in india ina women in bangalore 2025
Which Blood Types Are Compatible?
The most important part of blood donation is that the person who is receiving the blood has a compatible blood type with the donor. If you get blood from an incompatible blood type donor, then your immune system will not recognize the antigen, and it will start attacking the donated blood cells. Knowing your blood type will help your doctor to determine whose blood can be donated to you.
|
Blood type |
Blood type you can receive |
Blood type you can donate to |
|
A+ |
A+, A-, O+, O- |
A+, AB+ |
|
A- |
A-, O- |
A-, A+, AB-, AB+ |
|
B+ |
B+, B-, O+, O- |
B+, AB+ |
|
B- |
B-, O- |
B-, B+ AB+, AB- |
|
AB+ |
All blood types (universal recipient) |
AB+ |
|
AB- |
AB-, A-, B-, O- |
AB-, AB+ |
|
O+ |
O+, O- |
O+, A+, B+, AB+ |
|
O- |
O- |
All blood types (universal donor) |
Does Blood Type Also Affect During Pregnancy?
Yes, if your fetus is Rh negative and you carry blood that is Rh positive, or vice versa, then it might create a problem for you, the mother, and the baby should have the same Rh blood type. During your first gynaecological examination, your doctor will check for your blood type. And decide whether you need a medical intervention or not.
How Can I Find My Blood Type?
To know your blood type, you can book your blood typing test from any recognized blood diagnostic center near you. A phlebotomist will come to the comfort of your home and collect your blood sample. You can also visit your nearest diagnostic center and get your blood sample collected directly there, and then they will mix your blood sample with different antibodies to determine your blood type.
Conclusion
Despite having a similar appearance to our blood, we all have different types of blood groups which are generally decided by heredity. It is very important to know your blood type, if due to any unforeseen circumstances, you or your loved ones find themselves in a position where any one of you requires a blood transfusion, then the first step is to know your blood type so that you can have an easy blood transfusion. Knowing your blood group is very helpful in emergency conditions. If you know your blood type, you can also help others with their problems. You can book your blood grouping tests from the nearest City X-Ray Center to know your blood type. It is a very simple yet very important procedure
Frequently asked questions
What is the blood?
Blood is one of the most essential components of our body. It helps in transferring oxygen and nutrients to all the parts of the body, and helps in removing waste material from the body.
What are the four main types of blood groups?
The four main types of blood groups are A, B, AB, and O.
Which is the most common blood group for the Indian population?
The most common blood group in indian population is O+
Which is the rarest blood group in the Indian population?
The rarest blood group for indian population is AB-
Which blood group is a universal donor?
Blood group O- is a universal donor; a person who has a blood group O negative can donate blood to anybody, irrespective of their blood type.
Which Blood Group is a universal recipient?
A person with an AB+ blood type is a universal recipient; they can receive blood from anybody, irrespective of their blood type.
Can I change my blood type?
No blood type is hereditary, something you get from your parents, and you cannot change your blood type. Blood type can be changed only in case of bone marrow transplants.

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