What is Blood?
Blood is a living tissue composed of blood cells suspended in plasma.
The cellular elements, red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets -- make up about 45% of the volume of whole blood. Plasma, which is 92% water, makes up the remaining 55%.
Blood accounts for approximately 7% of a person's weight. An average sized man has about 12 pints of blood, and an average sized woman has about 9 pints. When you donate blood, your body immediately begins replacing the donated blood volume, so you can safely donate as often as 6 times a year.
Blood Types in the U.S.
Blood Type Breakdown
| Blood Type | How Many Have It | Frequency |
|
| O + | 1 person in 3 | 37.4% |
|
| O - | 1 person in 15 | 6.6% |
|
| A + | 1 person in 3 | 35.7% |
|
| A - | 1 person in 16 | 6.3% |
|
| B + | 1 person in 12 | 8.5% |
|
| B - | 1 person in 67 | 1.5% |
|
| AB + | 1 person in 29 | 3.4% |
|
| AB - | 1 person in 167 | .6% |
|
Blood Compatability Chart
| YOU CAN RECEIVE TYPE | |||||||||
| I F Y O U A R E T Y P E |
O+ | O- | A+ | A- | B+ | B- | AB+ | AB- | |
| O+ | * | * | |||||||
| O- | * | ||||||||
| A+ | * | * | * | * | |||||
| A- | * | * | |||||||
| B+ | * | * | * | * | |||||
| B- | * | * | |||||||
| AB+ | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |
| AB- | * | * | * | * | |||||
