a blood type test categorizes your blood according to the major human blood group (abo) system. a person's abo type depends upon the presence or absence of two genes — the a and b genes. these genes determine part of the configuration of the red blood cell surface. possible abo blood groups include o a b or ab. the rh antigen is another compound that may or may not be present on the surface of red blood cells. the rh test determines whether this configuration is present ("rh-positive") or absent ("rh-negative") on an individual's blood cells. rh testing is performed because the difference in rh blood group types between an rh-negative mother and her rh-positive baby can lead to hemolytic disease a severe condition in which there is breakdown of the red blood cells in the newborn. if an rh-negative mother carries an rh-positive fetus she may develop antibodies against the rh component of the baby's red blood cells. these antibodies could cause hemolytic disease of an rh-positive baby in subsequent pregnancies. prevention of hemolytic disease of the newborn is carried out by giving rh-negative mothers rho (d) immune globulin (brand name: rhogam) after delivery of an rh-positive baby. this prevents the mother's immune system from reacting to the rh-positive blood of any subsequent fetus.
i am going to be trying to get pregnant soon and want to know what are blood type and rh tests?