Two anemias that look alike on a blood count and mean different things. Why iron stores are the measurement that separates them, and why ferritin needs context.
Anemia of Chronic Disease vs Iron Deficiency Read Post »
A donation-centre finger prick is a screening test with a donor-safety threshold, not a diagnosis. What a deferral does and does not tell you about your own health.
Turned Away From Donating for Low Hemoglobin: What It Means Read Post »
Blood loss is one route to a low hemoglobin and it is not the only one. The three mechanisms, what WHO and MedlinePlus list as causes, and why bleeding can be invisible.
Low Hemoglobin Without Obvious Bleeding: How That Happens Read Post »
A child’s result is read against a child’s interval, and the interval moves with age. What WHO publishes about anaemia in children, and why the adult chart does not apply.
Anemia in Children: How the Ranges Differ Read Post »
Hemoglobin falls in a normal pregnancy for a reason that is not blood loss. What WHO publishes about anemia in pregnancy, and why the interval you are read against changes.
Anemia in Pregnancy: What the Numbers Mean Read Post »
Folate and B12 produce a similar picture on a blood count, which is why both are usually tested. What MedlinePlus publishes about the folate test and its numbers.
Folate Deficiency: How It Shows Up on a CBC Read Post »
Why a B12 test is usually ordered because of something the CBC showed first, what MedlinePlus publishes about the numbers, and why the level is only part of it.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Your Blood Count Read Post »
