Does donor have to have same blood type ?

[vickij]

I was told that the donor for BMT does not have to have the same blood type, is this true ? I was told that if we had different blood types then my blood type would change to donors type.

[Cam]

While it is not necessary for the blood type to match it does make the transplant easier according to my doctor. My donor was a ten for ten match with same blood type. And Gender and race are also a determiner. I ideal is the all match.. But the 10 for 10 and blood type can be addressed and can be worked around as I understood it.

[Neil Cuadra]

From what I've read, having a matched blood type is of little or no importance for a full transplant because the recipient's old immune system is eliminated or vastly weakened by radiation and/or chemo so it can't attack new blood cells of another type, while blood cells produced by the old immune system are being replaced anyway. However, a blood type match might have a slight advantage if all other facts are equal.

Matching a donor and recipient depends much more on HLA matches. HLA matches are more common within your same ethnic background but otherwise race does not matter.

A female donor who has had pregnancies is a second choice to one who has not been pregnant or to a male donor, other things being equal.

For a CMV negative recipient, a CMV negative donor is better. A CMV positive recipient can have either a CMV positive or CMV negative donor.

Family members are preferred to unrelated donors with an equal measured match, since other (unmeasured) factors may also match.

[vickij]

Thanks for the info on blood types. I haven't heard anything from IU Med Center yet about them finding a donor. I know it can take a while but I would just like to know they had a few prospects.
I would like to have a new blood type & get rid of the antibodies I have in my blood now.

[SLB]

Hi.. I had my transplant on march 6th this year. My original blood type was B+ and my donor was A+ and unfortunately only an 8/10 match but my time had run out hoping for a better match. Currently my blood type is in the process of changing over and while my white blood counts and platelets are in normal range I am struggling to make red blood cells. So when needed for time being I get transfusions with 0 type blood (the universal type). Doctors are happy so far and consider this normal and even said he didn't expect me to start converting so soon. I am only day +60 so haven't had a biopsy yet to show definitely what is happening in there. I know the doctor said they would watch me for longer & closer because I had a 'mismatch transplant'. So while definitely not ideal, for me it was worth a shot! Good luck finding a match.