What does low Hct mean in pregnancy?

If you have lower than normal levels of hemoglobin or hematocrit, you may have iron-deficiency anemia. Your doctor may check other blood tests to determine if you have iron deficiency or another cause for your anemia.

What happens if Hct is low?

A low hematocrit level means the are too few red blood cells in the body. In these cases, a person may experience symptoms that signal anemia. Common symptoms include fatigue, weakness, and low energy.

What causes Hct levels to be low?

Causes of low hematocrit, or anemia, include: Bleeding (ulcers, trauma, colon cancer, internal bleeding) Destruction of red blood cells (sickle cell anemia, enlarged spleen) Decreased production of red blood cells (bone marrow supression, cancer, drugs)

What happens to Hct during pregnancy?

However, a disproportionate increase in plasma volume results in hemodilution (hydremia of pregnancy): hematocrit (Hct) decreases from between 38% and 45% in healthy women who are not pregnant to about 34% during late single pregnancy and to 30% during late multifetal pregnancy.

What does it mean when your HCT is low?

Individual variability may also affect the results, as ethnicity, rate, gender, and age may affect the overall volume. If the HCT auto blood test results are below 37%, then this is considered a low test result. This typically means that there is some form of anemia present.

What is an HCT auto blood test?

Medical providers will also use the HCT auto blood test to monitor anemia treatments, use the information to determine if blood transfusions are necessary, or even evaluate the severity of chronic dehydration. It is typically ordered when there are signs and symptoms which may lead a medical provider to believe that anemia is a possibility.

What causes low hCG levels during pregnancy?

However, sometimes low hCG levels can be caused by an underlying problem. Typically, the gestational age of your baby is calculated by the date of your last menstruation. This can be easily miscalculated, particularly if you have a history of irregular periods or are unsure of your dates.

What does HCT stand for?

A hematocrit reading of 50% (which is within the hematocrit normal range) means that 50% of the total blood volume is red blood cells. Checking for normal hematocrit levels is one of the RBC indices that can help doctors diagnose many health conditions. Hematocrit (HCT) vs. Hemoglobin (HGB)