Bombay Blood Group: The Rarest Blood Group In The World

By Ruchika Verma

• Bombay blood group is the rarest blood group in the world
• The blood group is only found in 4 people in a million around the world
• It is mostly found in the citizens of the city Mumbai in India

Most of the general public knows only 4 types of blood groups, A, B AB and O. And then comes their own types which in layman's terms are positive or negative. But there is another rare blood group called the Bombay Blood Group which most of us are unfamiliar with.

The Bombay Blood Group or the HH blood groups is the rarest blood group in the world. Only 4 per million people have this blood group in the whole world. It is definitely rare, however, wy is it called the Bombay Blood Group?

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How the world rarest blood group got its name?

As already mentioned, this blood group also called the HH blood group, is the rarest blood group in the world. It is so rare that only 4 persons in million have it. However, in Mumbai or as previously known in 1950s Bombay has the highest number of people who possess Bombay Blood Group.In Mumbai, every 1 person in 10,000 has this blood group. Thus, the name Bombay Blood Group since it is found majorly in this city.

What is Bombay Blood Group?

We know how the Bombay blood group got its name, but what is this blood group really and what makes it so rare?

Our blood has mostly red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs) and plasma. The blood group is determined by these factors. The RBCs have antigens and plasma has antibodies present in it. Antigens can be A or B, and same is the case with antibodies.

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This cross between RBCs and the plasma determine our blood group. The antigens are responsible for the blood groups A B AB and O. If antigens have neither A and B, and plasma has either of them then the blood group O is made.

However, in the case of Bombay blood group, the antigen H, which is important for the formation of other blood groups is absent, but it is present in antibody, then the body has no other option but to make it our blood group.

The question arises, how to detect this rare blood group? The blood group is so rare that it is often confused with blood group O, however there are special tests available which makes it easier to diagnose.

The rarest of the rare – Bombay Blood Group Negative

The Bombay blood group negative is rarer than its positive counterpart. There are only 15 negative Bombay blood group donors found in India till now.

The reason why this blood group is mostly only found in Mumbai is said to be the close-community marriages and same lineage interbreeding. This is especially true for some communities in Mumbai.

It is a wonder that the HH blood group is so rare in the world that people can't find the donors when in need. To make it easier for the people, there is an NGO names Sankalp which connects people who need the blood to the Bombay Blood Group Donors.