Trend of blood groups and Rh factor in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of different blood groups and Rh factors in a random population sample from urban and rural areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad region of Pakistan. METHODS Blood group and Rh factor determination was carried out by the antigen-antibody agglutination test from October 2003 to October 2004, and encompassed 2518 subjects. RESULTS The percentages of various groups among male and female subjects, respectively, were recorded as 27.01% and 24.02% (for blood group A), 33.75% and 32.87% (for blood group B), 8.93% and 11.20% (for blood group AB) and 30.31% and 31.91% (for blood group O). The Rh positive and negative distribution in the studied population was 92.45% and 7.55% respectively. CONCLUSION The determination of the frequency of blood groups in the region would not only help in blood transfusion services, but also eliminate the risk of erythroblastosis foetalis in the neonates.