What does the HGB number in a blood test mean?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Pham Thi Thuy Nhung - Head of Laboratory Department - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

Peripheral blood count is one of the most important and routine tests used in hematology tests. This is a test that most patients who are admitted to the hospital have to do. One of the most important peripheral blood counts is the HgB level. So what does the HgB number in a blood test mean?

HgB stands for hemoglobin - a protein molecule found in red blood cells, responsible for transporting oxygen and creating red pigment for red blood cells.
The value of HgB varies by sex:
Male: 13 - 16g/dl. Female: 12.5 - 14.2g/dl. The HgB index increases with dehydration, heart and lung diseases; reduced with anemia, bleeding and other hemolytic reactions.

The HgB index is one of three indicators used to diagnose anemia, that is: RBC - Red Blood Cell indicates the number of red blood cells, HCT - Hematocrite indicates the volume of red blood cells, and HGB - Hemoglobin indicates the amount of blood. pigment. If two of the three numbers above are lower than normal, anemia is diagnosed. In addition, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), based on HgB index, anemia can be diagnosed if:
Male: HgB index < 13 g/dl (130 g/l); Female: HgB index < 12 g/dl (120 g/l); Elderly, pregnant women, children: HgB index < 11 g/dl (110 g/l). Clinically, the HgB index is used to assess whether a patient needs blood transfusion or not:
HgB index > 10g/dl: Mild anemia and no need for blood transfusion; HgB index 8 - 10g/dl: Moderate anemia and need for blood transfusion should be considered; HgB 6 - 8 g/dl: Severe anemia and need blood transfusion; HgB < 6g/dl: Emergency blood transfusion.

Menstruation and pregnancy are two common causes of anemia in women, and therefore the HgB level in women is often lower. In particular, anemia in pregnant women is a problem of reproductive health care, which needs special attention.
During pregnancy, in order to meet the increased demand for blood to provide oxygen and nutrients to the fetus, the need for iron and folic acid also increases to create red blood cells. If the mother's nutrition is not correct and complete, it will easily lead to anemia due to the deficiency of blood-forming components such as iron and folic acid. Therefore, blood test during pregnancy is required to be done to check the anemia status of pregnant women.

To prevent anemia, we need to have a diet full of nutrients. Foods rich in iron and folic acid can be mentioned as meat, fish, eggs, milk, legumes, green vegetables, soy products also help supplement vitamin B12. In addition, fruits rich in vitamin C also help strengthen resistance and increase iron absorption.
To fully supplement the amount of iron and folic acid for the body, to limit anemia, you can take iron tablets with folic acid. However, note that you should take iron tablets between two meals, or take them in the evening before going to bed, do not take iron tablets with tea or milk.
Regular health check-ups and blood tests to screen and help detect anemia early, thereby providing effective treatment.