Have you ever wondered what it means to be RH positive? Does it make you more positive about life, or do you just have an extra shot of espresso in your morning latte that makes everything seem brighter? Well, fear not my friends! Today we are going to dive deep into the world of blood types and figure out exactly what being RH positive entails. So, sit down, grab a cup of coffee (or tea if that's your thing), and let's get started!
Blood Types 101
Before we can understand what it means to be RH positive, we need to have a basic understanding of blood types. Blood is made up of red blood cells, white bloods cells, platelets and plasma – but when we talk about different 'blood types', it usually refers only to red blood cells.
There are two main classifications for human red blood cells - ABO system and Rh factor. The ABO system identifies whether someone has type A , B , AB or O type while Rh factor determines whether they are Rh-positive or Rh-negative.
The ABO System
The ABO system divides people into four groups based on their biology: - Individuals with Type A have only "A" molecules on the surface of their RBC - Individuals with Type B have only "B" molecules on the surface. - People who are AB have both "A" and "B" molecules present - Others who don’t fit any such category come under Type O
Now that we know about the basics let’s find out more about this mysterious RH-factor!
Understanding the RH Factor
RH stands for "Rhesus factor," which sounds like something straight out of Planet Of The Apes movie but wait....it is actually named after rhesus monkeys as they were used back then for experimentation purposes. RH factor is a protein that is found on the surface of red blood cells. If this protein is present, the person's blood type is RH-positive. If it's absent, they are RH-negative.
So why should we be concerned about this particular protein? Well, when an RH-negative woman has a baby with an Rh-positive man, the risk of complications arises because her body recognizes the baby’s positive factor as foreign and starts to attack them.
RH Incompatibility
Rh incompatibility can lead to some harmful outcomes including: - Fetal suffering from Anemia (lack of enough red blood cells) - Jaundice - Brain damage due to severe form of jaundice -In extreme cases.. stillbirth or death very soon after delivery
If you have Rh negative blood - then do not worry one bit! Only 15% percent population around us at global level possess this less relevant Rh negative characteristic whereas others possess Rh positive usually. It all depends upon what your partner's status with respect to Rhesus monkey’s distant cousin.
And if your skies cried while reading these few lines no worries Let me spill coffee grounds over you:
The Silver Lining : A Positive Outlook
As much as it may seem like being RH Negative isn't ideal, there really isn't anything inherently bad about it. So don’t let those pesky stats get you down . Being rh negative just means having special traits different than most people!
On ,on,... Our focus for today involved 'RH POSITIVE', which only accounts for approximately 85% globally?? I know right.it sounds petty boring but bear with me folks! Being RH positive does offer some benefits such as: -most importantly being resilient towards tricky diseases and viruses lurking outside our kingdoms.( wink-wink! COVID).Researches have shown recently that majority covid survivors happen to be Rh + ones.
The Takeaway
So now we know a little bit more about what it means to be RH positive, as well as the potential risks and benefits that come along with different blood types. Ultimately though, the most important thing is to take care of ourselves so that our immune systems are strong no matter what our blood type may be.
So go ahead! Stay resilient. Stay funky folks!!