IF THE BLOOD TYPE OF A SEMEN DONOR IS IMPORTANT TO YOU....
Many patients feel that the blood type of the donor is crucial when choosing a donor. By selecting a donor whose blood type matches the husband's/partner's blood type, patients may feel more secure about issues related to confidentiality.
The donor's blood type may be medically important to consider if the mother is Rh negative (Rh-). These women may develop antibodies to a fetus that is Rh positive.
It is important to remember that children do not always inherit the same exact blood type as their biological parents. For example, a couple with blood types of A and B could have an offspring with any of the four blood types: A, B, O, or AB. Please keep in mind that if you elect to use the blood type of a donor as one of your selection criteria, you will decrease the number of donor choices available to you.
The following two tables will help explain the inheritance of blood type:
Table A
Possible ABO Blood Groups In Couples And Their Children
| If the couple's blood types are: | The child's blood group could be: | |
|---|---|---|
| Possible | Impossible | |
| O and O | O | A, B, or AB |
| O and A | O or A | B or AB |
| O and B | O or B | A or AB |
| O and AB | A or B | O or AB |
| A and A | O or A | B or AB |
| A and B | O, A, B or AB | None |
| A and AB | A, B or AB | O |
| B and B | O or B | A or AB |
| B and AB | A, B or AB | O |
| AB and AB | A, B or AB | O |
| If the couple's blood types are O and O | |
| POSSIBLE | IMPOSSIBLE |
|---|---|
| O | A, B, or AB |
| If the couple's blood types are O and A | |
| POSSIBLE | IMPOSSIBLE |
| O or A | B or AB |
| If the couple's blood types are O and B | |
| POSSIBLE | IMPOSSIBLE |
| O or B | A or AB |
| If the couple's blood types are O and AB | |
| POSSIBLE | IMPOSSIBLE |
| A or B | O or AB |
| If the couple's blood types are A and A | |
| POSSIBLE | IMPOSSIBLE |
| O or A | B or AB |
| If the couple's blood types are A and B | |
| POSSIBLE | IMPOSSIBLE |
| O, A, B or AB | None |
| If the couple's blood types are A and AB | |
| POSSIBLE | IMPOSSIBLE |
| A, B or AB | O |
| If the couple's blood types are B and B | |
| POSSIBLE | IMPOSSIBLE |
| O or B | A or AB |
| If the couple's blood types are B and AB | |
| POSSIBLE | IMPOSSIBLE |
| A, B or AB | O |
| If the couple's blood types are AB and AB | |
| POSSIBLE | IMPOSSIBLE |
| A, B or AB | O |
Table B
If You Wish To Select A Donor Blood Type That Will Match Your Husband's or Partner's
| If the couple's blood types are: | The donor's blood type may be: |
|---|---|
| A and A | A or O |
| A and B | A, B or O |
| A and O | A or O |
| B and B | B or O |
| B and O | B or O |
| O and O | must be O |
| If the recipient is AB and her partner is: | The donor may be: |
|---|---|
| A | any type |
| B | any type |
| O | must be O |
| AB | any type |
| If her partner is AB and the recipient is: | The donor should be: |
|---|---|
| A | AB but not O* |
| B | AB but not O* |
| O | AB but not O* |
| AB | any type |
*Blood type A or blood type B could be used. However, if both the donor and the recipient contribute the gene for blood type O to the child, the child will have blood type O. This outcome would not be possible with a partner who has blood type AB.