To test a newborn, a health care provider will clean your baby's heel with alcohol and poke the heel with a small needle. The provider will collect a few drops of blood and put a bandage on the site. After a blood test, you may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly. There is very little risk to your baby with a needle stick test.
Your baby may feel a little pinch when the heel is poked, and a small bruise may form at the site. This should go away quickly. If your results show a higher than normal amount of reticulocytes reticulocytosis , it may mean:. These test results are often compared with results of other blood tests. If you have questions about your results or your child's results, talk to your health care provider. Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.
If your test results were not normal, it doesn't always mean you have anemia or other health problems. Reticulocyte counts are often higher during pregnancy. Also you may have a temporary increase in your count if you move to a location with a high altitude.
The count should return to normal once your body adjusts to the lower oxygen levels that happen in higher altitude environments. The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. Reticulocyte Count. Our science team is put through the strictest vetting process in the health industry and we often reject applicants who have written articles for many of the largest health websites that are deemed trustworthy.
Our science team must pass long technical science tests, difficult logical reasoning and reading comprehension tests. They are continually monitored by our internal peer-review process and if we see anyone making material science errors, we don't let them write for us again.
Our goal is to not have a single piece of inaccurate information on this website. If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please leave a comment or contact us at support selfhacked. Note that each number in parentheses [1, 2, 3, etc. Reticulocytes, or immature red blood cells, can tell your doctor how well your bone marrow is working. They can help zero in on underlying health issues or tell if certain therapies are working.
Keep reading to learn more about high and low reticulocyte counts and their effects on your health. Reticulocytes are newly formed immature red blood cells. They are produced in the bone marrow [ 1 ]. Normally, doctors use a reticulocyte test to look at bone marrow function. Your doctor may order this test if you have signs of anemia low red blood cell count, low hemoglobin , or low hematocrit [ 1 , 2 ]. Your doctor may order a reticulocyte test to [ 3 ]:.
Because there are many diseases and conditions that can affect red blood cell production and bone marrow function, a reticulocyte test can indicate something may be wrong but it cannot be used to diagnose a particular disease on its own [ 1 , 2 ]. Your doctor will interpret this test, taking into account your medical history, signs and symptoms, and other test results.
Normally, reticulocytes make up 0. There is some lab-to-lab variability in ranges due to differences in equipment, techniques, and chemicals used. Complete blood count, or CBC, to measure other substances in the blood, including hematocrit, white blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin.
Tests to measure the levels of hormones, including thyroid hormones, in your blood. Test results may vary depending on your age, gender, health history, the method used for the test, and other things. Your test results may not mean you have a problem. Ask your healthcare provider what your test results mean for you. Results are given as a percentage. The normal level of reticulocytes in the blood is between 0. Lower or higher levels may mean that you have a type of anemia. The test is done with a blood sample.
A needle is used to draw blood from a vein in your arm or hand. Doctors order a reticulocyte count if someone has a low number of red blood cells, called anemia.
The reticulocyte count can help doctors know if the bone marrow is working well to make new red blood cells. Let the doctor know if your child has had a blood transfusion.
This can affect the reticulocyte count test.
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