Hematology
23 markers in this category
Basic Blood Count
A basic blood count measures three core values in your blood: hemoglobin, white blood cells and platelets. Together they say something about oxygen transport, immune defence and clotting. It is a simple baseline check, without the red-cell indices and white-cell differential of a complete blood count.
Basophils
Basophils are the least numerous white blood cells in your blood count. In women the same range applies as in men: 0 to 0.2 x10⁹/l. Your cycle and a pregnancy do not change that range. A low or absent result is normal and needs no follow-up. If your basophils are raised, allergy, chronic inflammation and an underactive thyroid are the known causes. That last one is considerably more common in women. Below you can read when a rise is worth checking, and which thyroid test belongs with it.
Blood Type + Rh
A blood type test determines your ABO blood group and Rh factor. Knowing your blood type is essential for safe blood transfusions, organ transplants, and pregnancy planning.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
A complete blood count is one panel from one tube. It counts your red blood cells, your white blood cells and your platelets, and determines the amount of haemoglobin. For women that panel has a particular feature. Several values shift with your life stage, and not every shift is a problem. Menstrual blood loss, pregnancy and menopause each show a different pattern. Knowing that lets you read a result more calmly and more precisely.
Coombs Test (Indirect)
The indirect Coombs test screens for unexpected antibodies in your blood that may react against red blood cells. It is an important test for transfusion safety and prenatal care.
Eosinophils
Eosinophils are white blood cells involved in allergic reactions and the defence against parasites. As part of your complete blood count, they can offer clues about allergies or asthma. A raised count is often seen with allergic complaints, while a low count is usually not a concern.
Erythrocytes (RBC)
An erythrocyte (red blood cell) count measures the number of red blood cells in your blood. Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body and transporting carbon dioxide back for exhalation.
Haptoglobin
A haptoglobin test measures the level of haptoglobin protein in your blood. Haptoglobin binds to free hemoglobin released from damaged red blood cells, and its levels can help assess whether red blood cells are being destroyed faster than normal.
Hematocrit
Hematocrit in women sits structurally lower than in men. That is not an abnormality but a difference in reference frame. Two situations lower the value further on their own. In pregnancy the plasma volume grows faster than the red cell mass, so the concentration falls physiologically. And with heavy menstrual bleeding iron is lost month after month. A low hematocrit in women of reproductive age is therefore often an iron story. The result gains meaning only alongside your haemoglobin and your iron store.
Hemoglobin
Hemoglobin is especially important for women, as menstrual blood loss can lead to lower levels over time. Understanding your hemoglobin helps you take proactive steps to maintain your energy, support your hormonal health, and feel empowered in managing your well-being.
Hemoglobin Electrophoresis
Hemoglobin electrophoresis is a laboratory technique that separates and identifies different types of hemoglobin in your blood. It is primarily used to detect hemoglobin variants and diagnose inherited blood disorders such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia.
Irregular Antibody Screening
An irregular antibody screening test detects unexpected antibodies in your blood that may react against foreign red blood cells. These antibodies can develop after transfusions, pregnancies, or immune stimulation and are important to identify for transfusion and pregnancy safety.
Leukocyte Differential
A leukocyte differential test measures the relative proportions of different types of white blood cells in your blood. It provides a detailed breakdown of your immune cell populations, offering valuable insight into your immune system's function.
Leukocytes (WBC)
White blood cells, or leukocytes, form your immune defence. In women the result raises two recurring questions. What does the cycle do to this number? And what is normal in pregnancy? The answer to the first is surprisingly little, and to the second a great deal. At the laboratory that runs the test the usual adult range runs from 4.3 to 10.0 x10^9/L, with differences between laboratories. In the third trimester, however, a value around 15 x10^9/L is entirely normal. Without that context a healthy pregnancy result is wrongly read as infection.
Lymphocytes
Lymphocytes are white blood cells central to your defence against viruses and to immune memory. As part of your complete blood count, they give insight into how your immune system responds. A high count often fits a viral infection, while a low count can occur with stress or certain infections.
MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin)
MCH is the average amount of haemoglobin in one red blood cell. Menstrual blood loss, pregnancy and breastfeeding all raise iron needs, and a falling MCH is often the first sign that stores are running low. Learn what your value can mean.
MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration)
MCHC is the average concentration of haemoglobin inside your red blood cells. It tends to fall later than MCH, so a low MCHC points to iron deficiency that has been present for a while. Learn what your value can mean.
MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume)
MCV stands for mean corpuscular volume: the average volume of a single red blood cell, measured in femtolitres (fl). If your MCV is low, below 80 fl, your red cells are smaller than average; above 100 fl they are larger. The reference range shown on this page is 80 to 100 fl and applies to all adults. MCV gives direction to a low haemoglobin: without it you know that there is anaemia, but not which way it points. In women, heavy or prolonged menstrual blood loss is by far the most common reason an MCV drifts downwards. Because MCV is an average and says nothing about the spread, it is always read together with the RDW.
Monocytes
Monocytes are the largest white blood cells and they keep chronic inflammation going. A persistently raised count therefore fits a longer-running inflammatory process. That is relevant for women for a specific reason. Autoimmune conditions and inflammatory bowel disease are more common in women. Both raise the monocyte count. The number makes no diagnosis. It belongs to a picture a doctor reads alongside your symptoms. Below you can read which causes come up most often in women, and when a rise counts.
Neutrophils
Neutrophils are the most common white blood cells and your first defence against bacterial infections. As part of your complete blood count, the neutrophil count gives insight into how your immune system responds. A high count often fits an infection or inflammation, while a low count can leave you more vulnerable.
Platelets (Thrombocytes)
Your platelet count shows how many platelets circulate in a litre of blood. In adults the usual range is 150 to 400 ×10⁹/l, the same for women and men. The number still shifts with your cycle, your iron stores and pregnancy. Heavy periods often push it up rather than down, because iron deficiency drives production. From the second trimester onward it dips slightly in many pregnancies. Reference limits differ between laboratories, so the column on your own report decides. Below you will find what your number means and when to call your doctor or midwife.
RDW
RDW shows how much your red blood cells vary in size and can be an early clue to anaemia. This is especially relevant for women, as menstruation, pregnancy and breastfeeding can deplete iron stores. A raised RDW may point to a shortage of iron, vitamin B12 or folate.
Reticulocytes
A reticulocyte count measures the number of young, immature red blood cells in your blood. It reflects how actively your bone marrow is producing new red blood cells and is a valuable indicator of bone marrow function.