Skip to main content
Your session has expired. Reloading...
Hematology

MCH in women: what a low level says about iron

To make haemoglobin, the protein in the red blood cells that carries oxygen through the body, the body needs iron, vitamin B12 and folate, according to Thuisarts. According to the NVKC, the MCH value says something about how well the red blood cells are filled with haemoglobin.

According to Thuisarts, with too little iron the body cannot make enough haemoglobin, and according to the NVKC a low MCH can point to anaemia from iron deficiency. According to the NVKC, a high MCH may fit a lack of vitamin B12 and/or folate. Only a blood test shows whether the red blood cells hold too little haemoglobin.

Certe uses 1700 to 2100 amol for women older than 18, and 1539 to 1874 amol for girls aged 12 to 18.

Doctor's Assessment Included

MCH is the average amount of haemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen, in one red blood cell; it is calculated from haemoglobin and the red cell count. Certe uses 1700 to 2100 attomol for adults, equal to 1.70 to 2.10 femtomol.

  • A low MCH can fit iron deficiency or thalassaemia, a defect of the haemoglobin protein; a high MCH a lack of vitamin B12 or folate.
  • Star-SHL, Unilabs and Diagnostiek voor U publish no limit for MCH.

Reference Ranges

Female
fmol
Low 1.65 Normal 2.1 High

Reference ranges may vary between laboratories. When you order a test, a BIG-registered doctor assesses your personal results in context. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.

Check your own value

MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin): what Dutch laboratories use

Reference ranges by group, in amol
Certe · Female · 18 years and older 1700–2100 amol
1700 2100
1600 2200 amol

Source: Certe

Each value as the laboratory itself publishes it, retrieved in 2026.

MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin): what this test measures

The MCH result gives the amount of haemoglobin in the red blood cells, calculated according to the NVKC from the haemoglobin and the red blood cell count; Certe expresses the value in attomole (amol). According to the NVKC, the MCH test is part of the complete blood count.

MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin): why this value matters

According to the NVKC, an MCH value helps find the cause of anaemia. According to Thuisarts, anaemia can arise from heavy blood loss during an operation, childbirth or a miscarriage.

MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin): how the blood test works

Referral
No GP referral needed. After the order we arrange the referral through ZorgDomein, within one business day; orders after 17:00 or at the weekend start on the next business day. ZorgDomein emails a barcode, and that barcode is what the draw site needs.
The draw
A blood draw from a vein in the arm, at a partner laboratory's draw site. No home kit, no finger prick.
Where
650+ draw sites run by independent laboratories across the Netherlands. Draw sites

MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin): when is testing worthwhile?

According to the NVKC, an MCH value is usually part of the complete blood count, and a doctor can request the MCH test to find the cause of anaemia. According to Thuisarts, anaemia often comes from blood loss, for example from heavy periods or from a stomach disease.

MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin): symptoms of a high or low value

Low Levels

According to the NVKC, a reduced MCH can point to anaemia as a result of iron deficiency. According to Thuisarts, in women heavy blood loss from frequent, long and heavy periods is the most common cause of anaemia.

High Levels

According to the NVKC, a raised MCH can point to anaemia as a result of a lack of vitamin B12 and/or folate, two substances the body needs to make haemoglobin, according to Thuisarts.

MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin): causes of a low or high value

What lowers the value

  • Iron deficiency

    A low MCH can point to anaemia from iron deficiency.

  • Thalassaemia

    In thalassaemia, a defect of the haemoglobin protein in the red blood cells, MCH is too low.

What raises the value

  • Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency

    A high MCH can point to anaemia from a lack of vitamin B12 or folate.

  • Fat or burst cells in the blood sample

    A lot of fat in the blood sample gives a falsely high MCH, and red blood cells that burst in the tube can do the same.

MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin): lifestyle and this value

The GP is the first person to discuss an abnormal MCH result with. According to Thuisarts, anaemia from too little iron is treated with iron pills; according to Thuisarts, an orange or kiwi with the iron pill helps more iron get into the body, and coffee, tea and milk around the iron pill make iron get into the body less well.

MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin): frequently asked questions

Why can a pregnancy lead to iron deficiency?

According to Thuisarts, a pregnancy can lead to iron deficiency because the body then needs more iron than comes in with food, and according to the NVKC a low MCH can point to such iron deficiency.

Do other MCH limits apply to girls?

Yes, Certe uses an MCH of 1539 to 1874 amol for girls aged 12 to 18, and 1700 to 2100 amol for women older than 18.

MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin): sources

  1. Certe, Bepalingenwijzer (referentiewaarden per bepaling), bepalingenwijzer.certe.nl, geraadpleegd 2026-10-01 (retrieved 2026) bepalingenwijzer.certe.nl
  2. NVKC, Alles over testen: MCH, allesovertesten.nl, geraadpleegd 2026-10-06 (retrieved 2026) allesovertesten.nl
  3. Gulati G, Uppal G, Gong J. Unreliable Automated Complete Blood Count Results: Causes, Recognition, and Resolution. Ann Lab Med 2022;42(5):515-530. (retrieved 2026) pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

See Lunarahealth more often in Google

Add us as a preferred source. Google will then show our articles more often in your search results and in AI overviews. You can turn this off again at any time.

That did not work. Please try again.

Tests with related values

These panels measure values from the same category as this marker.

Fertility

IVF Blood Test (Women)

Complete female IVF intake panel: ovarian reserve, thyroid, infectious screening, immunity serology, blood group and CBC.

TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) Prolactin AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) Estradiol (E2) FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) LH (Luteinizing Hormone) Chlamydia IgG HIV 1/2 Antibody + p24 Antigen Syphilis Screening Blood Type + Rh Hepatitis B Core Antibody Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Hepatitis C Antibody Rubella IgG Toxoplasmosis IgG Varicella Zoster D-Dimer Basic Blood Count
€425,-
Fertility

IVF Blood Test Complete (Women)

Everything in the IVF panel plus full thyroid, preconception nutrients, progesterone and CMV immunity.

TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) Prolactin AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) Estradiol (E2) FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) LH (Luteinizing Hormone) Free T4 (Thyroxine) Folate (Folic Acid) Vitamin B12 Ferritin Progesterone Vitamin D (25-OH) Chlamydia IgG HIV 1/2 Antibody + p24 Antigen Syphilis Screening Blood Type + Rh TPO Antibodies CMV IgG Hepatitis B Core Antibody Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Hepatitis C Antibody Rubella IgG Toxoplasmosis IgG Varicella Zoster D-Dimer Basic Blood Count
€495,-

Medical reviewer

Medical standards

Dr. Naimi oversees the medical standards behind our content and assessments.

Medical policy
CIBG Ministerie van Volksgezondheid,
Welzijn en Sport Official BIG registration BIG 49928676701 Opens in a new tab