Blood
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH)
CONVERT & COMPARE
pg
=
1.85
fmol
Reference ranges by source
Published adult intervals: 3, from 3 named sources, shown in pg.
SOURCE
SEX
AGE
RANGE
VISUAL
CITE
J
JSCC / JAMT Japan
All
≥18y
28 – 33 pg
Ages 0–17 (CALIPER)
5 age- and sex-stratified entries from the Canadian Laboratory Initiative on Pediatric Reference Intervals.
SOURCE
SEX
AGE
RANGE
VISUAL
CITE
About Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH)
Red blood cell (RBC) indices measure your red blood cells' size, shape, and quality. Red blood cells are also known as erythrocytes. They are made in your bone marrow (the spongy tissue inside your large bones). They contain hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to every cell in your body.
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) is one of the red blood cell indices. It measures the average amount of hemoglobin inside a single red blood cell. Together with other indices such as MCV and MCHC, MCH helps your provider determine if you have a certain type of anemia, a condition in which your body does not make enough healthy red blood cells.
Knowing the size, shape, and hemoglobin content of your red blood cells can help your provider classify the type of anemia and look for its cause.
Main source: MedlinePlus ↗
Useful for
Help diagnose different types of anemia
Part of a complete blood count, often included in a routine checkup
Help find the cause of symptoms of anemia such as fatigue, weakness, or shortness of breath
Help monitor a known blood disorder or its treatment
Main source: MedlinePlus ↗
Interpretation
If the amount of hemoglobin (MCH) is lower than normal, it may mean you have iron deficiency anemia or another type of anemia in which red blood cells contain less hemoglobin than usual.
If the amount of hemoglobin (MCH) is higher than normal, it may mean you have anemia caused by a vitamin B deficiency, such as vitamin B12 or folate deficiency.
Your MCH result is usually interpreted together with other red blood cell indices and the rest of your complete blood count to help your provider understand the cause of any abnormal findings.
For general wellness information only. Talk to a clinician about your specific results.
Main source: MedlinePlus ↗
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Related biomarkers
More tests in the blood category.
Sources
L
Labcorp
N
Nordic Reference Interval Project
J
JSCC / JAMT Japan
C
CALIPER: Canadian Pediatric Reference Intervals
Last updated 2026-05-02
This page presents source-specific reference data and sourced explanations. For general wellness information only. This is not medical advice. For diagnosis or treatment of any condition, talk to a qualified clinician.