I Have NEO Blood: What Does That Mean?

In case you weren't aware, I'm a regular blood donor. I've given blood nearly 25 times, and all this time I have had NEO blood. But what does that mean, exactly? I didn't know what it was when I was told about it, I just knew that it was used for poorly babies and those with autoimmune diseases. 

I didn't know anything else about it, so I did some research. That's probably what you're doing now - researching NEO blood. First things first, the most reliable source of information is from NHS Blood and Transplant.

This is where I'll be getting all of my information from so that you're given the most up to date, accurate facts possible when it comes to NEO blood. So, according to NHS Blood and Transplant, here's everything you need to know about NEO blood.

Newborn babies need "pure" blood. This means that they need blood from people who have never had the cytomegalovirus (CMV). CMV virus is a very common, often harmless virus that more than half of adults in the UK have had at some point in their lives. 

It usually causes symptoms similar to the flu and it can even pass through your system without displaying any symptoms at all. Generally, people are infected with CMV during their childhood, but their bodies will usually work up the antibodies to fight it, and those antibodies will remain with them for life.

This means that, when your blood is tested when you make a blood donation, it will be tested for CMV antibodies. While it's harmless to someone who is in good health, it can be fatal if it ends up in the systems of newborns or those with autoimmune diseases. 

While CMV-positive blood is fine for healthy patients to have, it's dangerous if given to those with compromised immune systems. If your blood has been tested and it's CMV-negative, then your bag will have a little blue label attached to the bag, signally that it's safe for poorly babies. 

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Now you know what NEO blood is and why it's so important in the world of healthcare. If you'd like to do further reading, visit the links I included in this blog post. Do you have NEO blood? If so, let me know in the comments below. I'll see you all again soon with some brand new content!

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