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What Is Immunohematology?

Eugene P.
Eugene P.

Immunohematology is a branch of medicine‭ ‬that primarily deals with‭ ‬the‭ ‬processes and complications surrounding blood transfusions.‭ ‬Immunohematologists study how red blood cells react to foreign blood cells.‭ ‬This allows them to develop safer and more reliable methodologies for blood transfusions and also gives them insight into several blood-related diseases‭ ‬that involve the interaction between antibodies and antigens.

The study of immunohematology requires knowledge of some different medical disciplines.‭ ‬An understanding of immunology is important because the immunohematologist will be dealing with antibodies.‭ ‬Knowledge of genetics is required to aid in typing different blood antigens.‭ ‬Serology must be studied because of its relevance to working with blood.‭ ‬Combined,‭ ‬these give a practitioner the ability to perform several key functions involved in blood transfusions.

Immunohematology deals with blood transfusions.
Immunohematology deals with blood transfusions.

A trained immunohematologist performs a variety of tasks, including preparing blood and its components for storage or for transfusion.‭ ‬Testing newborn babies for immediate blood disorders is another responsibility.‭ ‬Most often an immunohematologist performs cross-matching to be sure a‭ ‬transfusion will not cause unnecessary complications.‭ ‬Detecting and diagnosing different blood disorders in patients also falls under the description of what an immunohematologist does.‭

‬Most often an immunohematologist performs cross-matching to be sure a‭ ‬transfusion will not cause unnecessary complications.‭ ‬.
‬Most often an immunohematologist performs cross-matching to be sure a‭ ‬transfusion will not cause unnecessary complications.‭ ‬.

The study of immunohematology is a complex and necessary field of specialization because of how the body reacts under certain conditions.‭ ‬When the red blood cells in a body encounter foreign red blood cells‭ ‬that have‭ ‬certain‭ ‬antigens on their surface,‭ ‬the cells will create antibodies.‭ ‬These antibodies will destroy the‭ ‬foreign cells.‭ ‬Immunohematology seeks to learn as much as possible about the hundreds of different antigens that exist so there will be a way to transfuse blood without causing antibodies to be produced.

Immunohematologists study how red blood cells react to foreign blood cells.
Immunohematologists study how red blood cells react to foreign blood cells.

There also are blood diseases that can cause serious harm.‭ ‬An immunohematologist studies these diseases so he or she can accurately‭ ‬diagnose them and, hopefully, mitigate some of the damage being done.‭ ‬One disease that occurs in pregnant women causes red‭ ‬blood cells to attack the body‭’‬s own cells,‭ ‬releasing hemoglobin that could lead to renal failure.‭ ‬These are the types of diseases with which immunohematology deals.

When red blood cells encounter foreign red cells, they create antibodies that will destroy the foreign cells.
When red blood cells encounter foreign red cells, they create antibodies that will destroy the foreign cells.

Immunohematology is a practice closely tied to the medical technology‭ ‬available‭ ‬within a geographic area.‭ ‬Not all areas of the world are able to give blood transfusions or have access to the‭ ‬machinery necessary to identify the different antigen groups.‭ Other areas give transfusions infrequently and do not keep the proper equipment on site.‭ ‬In these cases,‭ ‬the effectiveness of an immunohematologist is limited.

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    • Immunohematology deals with blood transfusions.
      By: .shock
      Immunohematology deals with blood transfusions.
    • ‬Most often an immunohematologist performs cross-matching to be sure a‭ ‬transfusion will not cause unnecessary complications.‭ ‬.
      By: Max Tactic
      ‬Most often an immunohematologist performs cross-matching to be sure a‭ ‬transfusion will not cause unnecessary complications.‭ ‬.
    • Immunohematologists study how red blood cells react to foreign blood cells.
      By: Dmitry Sunagatov
      Immunohematologists study how red blood cells react to foreign blood cells.
    • When red blood cells encounter foreign red cells, they create antibodies that will destroy the foreign cells.
      By: designua
      When red blood cells encounter foreign red cells, they create antibodies that will destroy the foreign cells.
    • Immunohematologists test newborns for blood disorders at birth.
      By: jamdesign
      Immunohematologists test newborns for blood disorders at birth.