Diseases, endocrinologists. MRI
Site search

What is the rarest blood type? The rarest blood type

Blood groups are important not only when transfusing blood from a donor to a recipient and when planning pregnancy. Scientists in the field of hematology have long identified a connection between the category of blood flow and a person’s lifestyle, nutrition and behavioral factors. It is known that each of the four blood groups was formed as a result of changes in habitat, nutritional structure, or due to interfaith marriages. Depending on the predominance or paucity of a particular blood group, one can judge which is the most rare group blood?

How did the AB0 blood classification system come about?

Many people probably know that the classification of blood fluid into groups began only a century ago. This event happened thanks to scientific research Austrian scientist Karl Landsteiner, who discovered differences in the blood of the patients he examined.

During his observations, he identified the main differences that allowed him to classify blood flow into three groups:

  • I (0)
  • II (A)
  • III (B)

The features of the blood substance were the absence, as in the case of the first blood group, or the presence of antigenic properties of red blood cells, as in the second and third categories. But years later, a colleague of the famous scientist discovers another group of the bloodstream with the presence of both types of antigens A and B. This category was also included in the AB0 system as the fourth type of bloodstream.

The process of evolution of blood substance

To figure out which blood group is the rarest, you will need to consider the sequence of changes in the bloodstream from the first to the fourth category. Initially, according to scientific researchers, all people had the first type of blood, in which erythrocyte antigen was completely absent. This race lived in conditions of disunity and survived, like many representatives of the animal world, by hunting.

After about 15-20,000 years ago, people switched to an alternative type of diet by taking up agriculture. Due to the change in diet to predominantly cereals, vegetables, fruits and berries, the composition of the bloodstream has changed, which now belongs to the second type. His behavioral style also underwent changes - from wild and aggressive he moved to more flexible and sociable.

But the rarest blood group in the world, the fourth, was formed largely as a result of a reaction to marital relationships mixed in groups. That is, as a result of the combination of the second “agricultural” and the third “nomadic, pastoral” categories of blood flow. The fourth type of blood substance is not only rare, its number is about 7% of all inhabitants of the planet. But it is also a mystery to scientists and doctors to this day due to its biological complexity. Partly because it combines the antigenic characteristics of red blood cells A and B. Researchers still continue to study this category blood.

Features of the fourth blood flow group

It is generally accepted that the emergence of the rarest blood group in humans occurred only a thousand years ago as a result of incestuous marriages between the Indo-European and Mongoloid races. There is another version of the formation of the fourth variation of the blood flow. It lies in the fact that when humanity resolved all its everyday issues with shelter and food, people began to develop Creative skills. And this theory is not unfounded, because those who have the rare fourth blood category really stand out among their fellow tribesmen.

Rare personality traits of representatives of the fourth category:

  • pronounced creative abilities;
  • extraordinary spiritual organization;
  • sensitive perception of reality;
  • craving for everything beautiful;
  • developed intuition;
  • impeccable taste.

Carriers of the fourth type of blood flow are altruists, distinguished by kindness, compassion and selflessness. They take everything to heart and are always ready to help. But it is not only psychological qualities that group IV blood plasma is so remarkable for.

It is reliably known that it provides its owner with a special immunity, capable of exhibiting the properties of both types II and III blood flow, and less often unique ones.

TO weak points the fourth category of blood substance is the cardiovascular system, in addition, there is a risk of developing various oncological pathologies, “slow” infections and other abnormalities. In case of need for blood transfusion, this type stands out for its versatility. But you will need to take into account its compatibility with other types of blood fluid.

Compatibility table of 4 blood flow groups:

Group name Recipient Donor
AB (IV) 0 (I), A (II), B (III), AB (IV) AB (IV)

As can be seen from the table, people with the rarest blood group - the fourth category of blood substance - are considered universal recipients, even if they themselves are capable of being donors only for people with the same group as theirs. Along with the type of blood, the Rh factor is also important, whether it is negative or positive. Therefore, if you answer the question what is the most exclusive category of blood flow, then the answer will be that this is the fourth group of blood substance, which has a negative Rh factor.

In contact with

In medicine, it is customary to divide blood into groups depending on the content of special proteins in it. There are 4 types of biological fluid, and each can differ in one more characteristic - the Rh factor, which is determined by the presence or absence of the D antigen.

Taking blood type into account is vital when transfusing, and is also necessary to maintain pregnancy. The frequency of distribution of blood with different antigens is not the same: the first positive can be found in 40% of the planet's inhabitants, and the rarest blood type is the fourth negative.

Which are the rarest and why?

Uneven distribution of the number of people on Earth with different types blood is explained by the fact that they were formed evolutionarily under the influence external factors. Among the different blood types, the rarest is the one that is considered by the scientific community to have appeared later.

According to scientific research, initially all people who existed on Earth had the first blood type. This was at a time when the main occupation of mankind was hunting. Later, 15,000 - 20,000 years ago, people began to engage in agriculture. This entailed a change in diet. According to scientific hypothesis, predominance in the diet plant food influenced the emergence of the second group.

Later, around that time historical period When people began raising livestock, a third type of biological fluid appeared. The fourth - the rarest blood group in humans, arose as a result of the appearance of offspring from people with different blood types - second and third.

The Rh factor also influences the determination of which blood group is the rarest in the world. Statistics show that with a positive rate on earth there is about 85%, and with a negative rate - 15%. These differences are important when carrying out blood transfusions, because it is impossible to transfuse material that does not match the rhesus - this can lead to complications and even be fatal.


Thus, among all blood types, there are fewer representatives with a negative Rh factor.

World distribution statistics

World statistics on the rarity of blood groups are presented in the table:

Blood type Rh+ Rh-
I (0) 36,44% 4,33%
II (A) 28,27% 3,52%
III (B) 20,59% 1,39%
IV (AB) 5,06% 0,40%

Statistical data is heterogeneous depending on the region of residence. For example, the first type is common in Africa and South America, and the second - in the countries of Eastern Europe.

Thus, the rarest blood type in the world is the fourth negative. Distinctive feature people with the fourth group is that they are universal recipients. This means that they can be infused with any type of biological fluid, paying attention only to the Rh factor. They will not begin to develop antibodies to the incoming donor material, so there will be no problems with transfusion.


But the fourth group cannot be used for blood transfusions for recipients of the first, second and third - they are allowed to act as donors only for representatives of the same type.

IN modern medicine When transfusing, they try to use material that matches most of the characteristics, and primarily the presence of antibodies. The use of a mismatched biological fluid with a recipient is practiced only in exceptional cases when there is no more suitable donor and the procedure must be performed urgently.

Bombay phenomenon

In 1952, in the city of Bombay, which is located in India, while studying a massive outbreak of malaria, doctors discovered several people in whose blood material antigens A and B were not present. But on this basis they could not be classified as the first type, i.e. because there was no antigen H, which is characteristic of the zero group and is necessary for the construction of antigens A and B.

This discovery was called the “Bombay phenomenon” after the place where the trait was first discovered. Biological fluid with no antigens A, B and H is considered the rarest in the world. The total number of people with such characteristics is about 0.0001%. In India they are more common - approximately 0.01% of the local population. This is explained by permission for marriages between close relatives.

Due to the clinical indications of patients with Bombay phenomenon often confused with carriers of the first or zero type. Such an error can become dangerous if a blood transfusion is necessary.

Biological material from representatives of the Bombay phenomenon can be used for transfusion to all people - this becomes possible due to the absence of antigens, to which the recipient’s body can begin to secrete antibodies, which will lead to undesirable consequences. Like people with the first group, people with the Bombay phenomenon can act as universal donors; during the procedure, you only need to pay attention to the matching of the Rh factor.

Only the same blood material can be transfused to such people, since they will begin to produce antibodies to any incoming antigens. This becomes a problem because biological fluid that does not contain antigens A, B and H is the rarest blood type on Earth. If necessary, it becomes extremely difficult to find a donor.

People with Bombay phenomenon may have difficulty determining paternity. A special test cannot confirm family connection, because people with Bombay phenomenon will not inherit antigens contained in biological fluid from their parents.

The rarest blood type, this is the fourth blood group IV. It is the fourth blood group that is least common among people.

When can a child with fourth blood type IV be born? A child with the fourth blood group, or the rarest blood group, can be born in the following cases:

1. If one of the parents was a carrier of the second group II, and the other third III, then the chance that a child will be born with the fourth blood group IV is 25%.

2. If one of the parents is a carrier of the fourth blood group IV, and the second parent is with the second II or with the third blood group III, then the chance that a child will be born with the fourth blood group IV is 50%.

3. And the rarest option is when both parents are happy owners of the fourth blood group, which is incredibly rare.

Carriers of the fourth blood group are considered universal recipients. Surprisingly, the rarest blood type is unique and convenient in its own way - it is the ideal blood type. People who are carriers of the fourth group can be transfused with blood of any other group, from the first to the fourth. That is, if the owner of the fourth blood group needs a transfusion, he does not need to look for a donor of the rare, fourth group - any blood will do, but doctors will have to deal with the Rh factor.

But blood of the fourth group can only be transfused to people with the fourth group; this blood is not suitable for people neither with the first blood group, nor with the second, nor with the third blood group.

Rh factor of the rarest blood group

But everything is not so simple, the rarest blood group is divided into Rh positive and Rh negative. A Rh negative blood group can be transfused into a Rh positive blood group, but a Rh positive blood group cannot be transfused into a Rh negative group.

The most common type of blood among people is Rh positive blood group. The rarest blood type is Rh positive fourth, most often found in Turkey - 7% of the population, followed by countries such as China, Israel, Poland and Finland - 7%, and in the world about 5% of the population can boast of the rarest blood type with positive Rhesus

The fourth blood group with negative Rh is even less common, in the world it is 0.40% of the population, while in China it is the least common - 0.05%. In other countries it does not exceed 1%.

And most often on our planet there are carriers of the first positive blood group - almost 37%.

Determination of blood groups using the avo system, and if avo is correct

This is when the analyzed blood is added to special sera of the four blood groups, and they look at the glass where coagulation occurs. Coagulation occurs with incompatible blood groups, which is how the blood type is determined. Blood type should only be determined by a doctor. It happens that blood group and Rh factor are determined incorrectly. It is very important to know not only your blood type, but also the Rh factor, since emergency situation it can save a life. Of course, you need to know your children's blood type.

Human blood is distinguished by groups, there are 4 of them, and by the Rh factor, which can be positive and negative. According to statistics, 80% of the world's population have positive Rh factor. Only 20% of people in the world have a negative Rh factor. Therefore, Rh with a "-" sign is less common. In addition, there is a blood type that is common, and there is one that is rare. Which group is considered the rarest - this is the question we will consider further.

According to statistics, the first blood group is more common in the world. 40% of the population have it. 32% of people in the world have the second blood group. Then comes the third blood group, which accounts for 22%.

The rarest blood group is group 4. Only 6% of all people in the world have it. And the rarest group with Rhesus is fourth group Rh negative, it affects 0.4% of people.

She appeared later than everyone else, so she is considered young. This blood type arose due to mixed marriages, and not external influence like the rest. She has a complex chemical composition, because of which the laboratory assistant little experience work may confuse it with the second or third blood group. The only group with which the fourth group has nothing in common is the first. Even a doctor who does not have much experience in conducting tests will not confuse them.

Very rare blood

The first blood group is common, and the fourth is the least common. As for the Rh factor, there are some nuances here. Thus, fourth positive blood is more common than negative blood. If we talk about exact data, then group IV with Rh “+” is present in 5.6% of the world’s population, and group IV with Rh “-” accounts for only 0.4%.

From the point of view of the Rh factor, there are other rare blood groups - this is the first negative. 4.3% of the world's population has it. Then comes the second group with a Rh factor with a “-” sign; 3.5% of the population has it. As for the third negative blood group, only 1.5% of the population has it. Groups with a positive Rh factor are quite common, as already mentioned.

The uniqueness of the fourth blood group

The fourth blood group is the rarest and most unique. If a person with such blood needs a transfusion, then any other blood will do. Therefore, there is no point in looking for a donor with this particular blood type, which would be difficult, since it is rare. You can take any other blood type from the blood bank and use it for transfusion. In this case, only the Rh factor is taken into account. If a person has a fourth negative group blood, then take any other negative Rh blood, and vice versa, if a person has fourth positive blood, then any other group, but positive, will be required.

However, such blood can only be transfused to people with the fourth blood group. This is where its uniqueness lies. It will not suit a person with the first, second or third blood group, even if they have the same Rh factor. Even doctors don’t know why this happens.

This blood group is “responsible” for human creativity. For such people, emotions dominate over reason. They are prone to fantasy, they have developed intuition and are distinguished by impeccable taste and a thirst for beauty. There are many artists, poets and musicians here. Therefore, the fourth blood group is considered bohemian. Such people are compassionate and kind. They are unlikely to remain indifferent to someone else’s grief and will try to come to the rescue. They easily forgive insults, although they take everything to heart. However, communicating with such people is not easy. They require increased attention. They are ready to be offended even by an innocent remark made to them. A harsh word can hurt them. Among people with this blood type there are many fanatics and people with unstable psyches.

Still, it cannot be said that people with the fourth blood group are more talented than people with the first or any other blood group. It’s just that in this case there are some characteristics, which are hard to miss.

If we talk about which blood group is considered the rarest, then, of course, it is the fourth negative. This is due to the fact that this blood type is difficult to inherit from parents, since even if the mother and father have the fourth group, the chance that the baby will have this type is only fifty percent. As for, everything is simple here: only fifteen percent of the Earth's population can boast of it.

The term “blood group” refers to the presence or absence of a certain type of antigen protein on the membranes of red blood cells. It is worth noting that red blood cells are cells whose main task is to transport oxygen through the plasma to the cells and remove carbon dioxide to the lungs.

There are many antigens on the membranes of red blood cells. How many exactly has not yet been established, but the main ones have been determined: these are antigens A and B, as well as the Rh factor. They do not affect health, but information about them is important during transfusion, as well as during pregnancy, in order to evaluate. The fact is that if these antigens enter human plasma, which does not contain them, the immune system recognizes them as foreign bodies, and produces antibodies (agglutinins).

This leads to red blood cells sticking to each other, resulting in large blood clots that are unable to pass through the capillaries and clog them. The result is a blocked area of ​​the body that small vessels supplied with oxygen and nutrients, begins to starve, then tissue necrosis occurs, after which in most cases death occurs.

Antigen compatibility

Such incompatibility at one time turned out to be the cause of the death of many patients after or the appearance of severe complications, which prompted scientists to begin to find out the reason. This is how antigens A and B were discovered, then it was established interesting fact: Some people may have both (which is rare), but in most cases they will not be present at all. There are also people who have only one of the antigens in their blood.

As a result of research, it was determined that a biomaterial containing one or both antigens should under no circumstances be infused into a recipient who does not have this protein. Based on this, the AB0 system was created, where A and B are antigens, while 0 means “zero,” that is, their absence (to facilitate the work of doctors, a special compatibility table was created).


The fourth group is considered the rarest: it contains both antigens. This is the reason why it cannot be infused into people whose blood lacks these proteins or only one is present: the immune system will instantly produce antibodies. People with the fourth group are ideal recipients: they can be infused with any biomaterial according to the AB0 system, since they do not develop antibodies to proteins A and B.

The only thing that needs to be checked is the Rh factor: any type is suitable for those with a positive Rh factor; any biomaterial is also suitable for recipients with a negative Rh factor, but the Rh factor must be negative.

The most common is the first group, in which both antigens are absent. For this reason it is designated as 0 and is considered the best donated blood, since it can be infused into any person: immunity to it does not develop antibodies, which is why the owner of the first group is considered a universal donor. But since he lacks A and B antigens, his immune system is capable of producing alpha and beta agglutinins. Therefore, you can only infuse him with the first group.


The second group is rarer than the first. It contains antigen A and agglutinin beta. For this reason, it can only be transfused to groups where there is protein A, that is, people with the second and fourth groups. Recipients with the second group can only be given blood that does not contain antigen B, that is, the first and second.

The third group is not as common as the second, but more common than the fourth. It contains antigen B and agglutinin alpha. This means that it can be infused into owners of the third and fourth groups, who also have antigen B. But the first and third groups can be infused: they lack protein A.

What will the baby inherit?

The fourth group is considered the rarest precisely because of the presence of two antigens in it. It is inherited from the parents, and if one of them or even both has blood of the fourth group, it is not at all necessary that the baby will have the same. With the combination of the most popular (first) and the rarest (fourth) groups, the heir will not receive the blood of his parents at all. This is due to the fact that this combination combines blood in which both antigens are present with blood in which they are absent.


As for the combination of the fourth with other groups, you can calculate the baby’s group using the following data:

  • II + IV: 25% – fourth and third, 50% – second;
  • III + IV: 25% – fourth and second, 50% – third;
  • IV + IV: 50% – fourth, 25% – second and third.

Based on these data, it is obvious that it is impossible to accurately predict the baby’s blood type if one of the parents has the rarest group, even using a table. The difficulty is caused by the fact that it is impossible to say exactly what antigen will be on the membranes of red blood cells. If it turns out to be A, it will be the second, B - the third, if both - the fourth. Therefore, it often happens that brothers and sisters have different group, and the children’s blood does not match the parents’.

What is antigen D


The second most important system is the Rh factor, by which doctors mean the presence or absence of the D antigen protein. According to statistics, 85% of the population has it on the membranes of red blood cells, so they are considered to have a positive Rh factor. Those who do not have D antigen are negative. For this reason, people who have the fourth negative group have the rarest blood type.

As in the case of AB0, the immune system of a person with negative Rh is capable of producing antibodies to the D antigen, which causes red blood cells to stick together. Therefore, under no circumstances should you pour positive blood a person with a negative Rh factor.

Information about the Rh factor is also needed during pregnancy. If the mother has a negative group, and the child has a positive group, if the child’s blood enters the maternal plasma, the immune system begins to produce antibodies, after which it directs them to destroy the baby’s red blood cells (this can also be observed when groups are incompatible according to the AB0 system). This may cause the death of the child, premature birth or to hemolytic disease after the baby is born.

Doctors have solved this problem, so if there is a suspicion of incompatibility between the blood of mother and baby, even before the body produces antibodies, a special injection is given. If agglutinin has already been produced, the injection cannot be given, so other treatment methods are used and the health of the mother and child is monitored throughout the pregnancy.