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Q: My daughter has B- blood, I have B+ blood and her birth father has 0+. Could you please explain how blood types work?
A: The most important and well known blood types are the types A, B, AB, and O. Type A blood is characterized in the individual by the genetic composition AO or AA. Type B blood is characterized by the genes BB or BO. Type AB is only characterized by AB, and type O is characterized by OO. Thus, for example, when an individual with blood type B marries an individual with blood type 0, the children may have blood characterized by the genes B0 or OO. In other words, the children may have blood of type B or blood of type O.
In addition to the ABO blood group system, another system of clinical importance in characterizing blood is the so called Rh system. The Rh factor is named for the rhesus monkey because it was first studied in the blood of this animal. In analysis of this system, it is particularly important here to distinguish the genes D and d(absence of D). Blood type referred to as Rh+ is characterized by the genetic composition DD or Dd. Blood type referred to as Rh- is characterized by dd. Thus, for example, if an individual with blood Rh+ marries another individual with blood Rh+, the children may be DD, Dd, or dd. In other words, the children may be Rh+ or Rh-.
Specifically addressing your case, your daughter may, in general, be BO or OO. Also, she may be DD, Dd, or dd. Hence, in general, she may be B+, B-, 0+, or 0-. In your particular case, your daughter is indeed B-, which is one of the theoretical possibilities.
Updated: 07/17/99
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