"Doctor, I'm also Type A! Hurry and give my son a transfusion!" Scenes of relatives donating blood to each other after accidents seem to appear endlessly in TV dramas. Recently, however, a Weibo post claiming "Blood transfusions between direct relatives are prohibited because they may cause complications with a mortality rate as high as 90%" sparked heated online debate.So relatives can't donate blood? And it might even be deadly? Is there scientific basis for this claim?
Yesterday, our reporter consulted Pan Xiaoliang, Director of the Blood Transfusion Department at Hangzhou First Hospital. Director Pan confirmed that direct relatives indeed cannot donate blood to each other. While the Weibo post has some scientific basis, its wording is imprecise—it shouldn't be simplistically interpreted as "a 90% mortality rate for blood transfusions between direct relatives."
Expert Clarification
"Blood transfusions between relatives may trigger immune reactions, including 'graft-versus-host disease'—one of the most severe transfusion complications,"Director Pan Xiaoliang provided a simplified analogy: transfusion introduces numerous "foreign invaders" from the donor into the recipient's body. Antigens from relatives share similarities, and when combined with the recipient's compromised immune system, these invaders go undetected.These "intruders" then seize the opportunity to "take over the nest," dividing and multiplying within the recipient's body before attacking organs like the bone marrow.
"This disease typically manifests around one week post-transfusion, presenting with severe liver dysfunction, nausea, diarrhea, and widespread rashes or blisters on the skin and mucous membranes,""Director Pan explained that while the incidence rate is relatively low at 0.1%–1%, international clinical data indicates a higher risk with closer blood ties. Specifically, the incidence rate among first-degree relatives—parents and offspring—is 10–20 times higher. Currently, there is no effective treatment, and the mortality rate reaches 90%.
Therefore, the relatively safest blood transfusion should occur between identical twins, as their blood types are completely identical.
Why can't direct relatives donate blood to each other?
Direct relatives cannot donate blood to one another
Last week, Wang Yujing, a police officer from Wuyi County, Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, posted this message on his personal Weibo: "Direct relatives cannot donate blood to each other—we've been misled by TV dramas!" In dramas, scenes of relatives transfusing blood to each other during emergencies are commonplace.However, experts clarify that blood transfusions between immediate family members are medically inadvisable. This is because transfusions may cause transfusion-related complications, with the risk increasing as biological kinship grows closer—reaching a mortality rate as high as 90%. Additionally, husbands should not donate blood to their wives, as this may lead to neonatal hemolytic disease.
This Weibo post quickly went viral, garnering 30,807 reposts and 4,510 comments within days. Most netizens admitted seeing blood transfusions between relatives in dramas but were unaware of the risks. Some hoped experts would clarify the truth, while a minority questioned the post's credibility, demanding evidence.
Is fresher blood always better for transfusions?
Science Explained
What is blood type?
To understand the intricacies of blood donation, we must first grasp the fundamentals of blood types.
Blood type is a classification system for human blood.Blood types vary from person to person. The commonly referred to ABO blood type system describes the different antigens present on red blood cells. Cells rich in A antigen are Type A; those rich in B antigen are Type B; cells containing both A and B antigens are Type AB; and cells lacking both A and B antigens are Type O.
Long ago, humans were unaware of blood type distinctions, leading to numerous tragic deaths from transfusion errors. It wasn't until 1990 that Karl Landsteiner, a pathologist at the University of Vienna in Austria, unraveled the mystery of blood types. From then on, clinical transfusion entered a scientific framework, enabling human blood to fulfill its vital role in saving lives.
Can a husband donate blood to his wife?
Is the online claim that a husband donating blood to his wife can easily cause neonatal hemolytic disease accurate? Director Pan explains that before a husband donates blood to his wife, cross-matching must be performed on the husband and wife with the same blood type. If a reaction occurs, the husband's blood cannot be used; otherwise, it is permissible.
Couples with matching ABO blood types may still have other blood type incompatibilities. If a wife receives her husband's blood, she may develop antibodies against his blood type antigens. During pregnancy, these antibodies can cross the placenta into the fetus. If the fetus inherits this blood type antigen from the father, it may develop neonatal hemolytic disease.
Therefore, childless couples should still avoid such transfusions whenever possible.If childbearing is not a concern, husband-to-wife blood transfusions remain permissible provided blood types are compatible and the blood meets quality standards.
What Exactly Is "Cross-Matching Blood Donation"?
When a relative requires surgery, hospitals may initiate a "cross-matching blood donation" request. However, many people mistakenly believe this means donating blood specifically for their own family member.
In reality, coordinated blood donation differs from direct blood transfusions between immediate family members, so the public need not panic. Experts clarify that when a patient requires a transfusion, their family members may donate blood at a blood center. The center then exchanges an equivalent volume of donated blood from other donors for the patient's use—it does not directly administer the relative's blood.