AB positive blood type
The universal recipient: AB positive patients can receive red cells from every type.
3.4%
about 1 in 29 people · #6 of 8
What AB positive means
AB positive red cells carry A, B and Rh D antigens, and the plasma has no anti-A or anti-B antibodies. With nothing to react against, AB positive patients can accept red cells from all eight types.
The flip side is that AB positive red cells can go only to AB positive patients. That is why blood services usually steer AB donors toward plasma donation instead.
AB is the newest ABO group in human history and is common only where both A and B alleles circulate, reaching about 7% among Asian Americans.
Plasma
AB+ plasma can be given to O+, O-, A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+, AB-. A AB+ patient can receive plasma from AB+, AB-. Plasma rules run opposite to red cells because plasma carries antibodies, not antigens.
Best way to donate
Plasma. AB plasma has no anti-A or anti-B, so it can be given to patients of any type, which makes AB donors universal plasma donors.
Genetics
ABO genotype AB; Rh genotype DD or Dd. Want to know what blood type your children could have? Use the blood type calculator.
Pregnancy
An AB positive mother does not need anti-D (RhoGAM). Her children cannot be type O (except with rare variants). Read the Rh factor guide.
AB positive blood type FAQs
Who can AB positive donate to?
Red cells go only to AB+ patients, but AB plasma can go to anyone.
Who can AB positive receive from?
All eight red cell types.
Can an AB parent have an O child?
Not under normal inheritance: the AB parent always passes on either A or B. Rare exceptions include the cis-AB allele and the Bombay phenotype.