How to Prepare for Test Results
There is a healthy and expected range in which your hematocrit level is supposed to be. Having your hematocrit level to be high or low can be detrimental to a person’s health and result from various conditions and lifestyle factors.
What Are Healthy Hematocrit Levels?
Different institutions will give different definitions to a healthy hematocrit level. However, a 2017 cross-population study found the following ranges to be typical.
- Male: 42-52%
- Female: 37-47%
- Children: 30–44%
When a baby is born, their hematocrit levels are high and steadily fall as they get older.
Results may be impacted if a person just got a blood transfusion. Additionally, because the body expands its blood volume during pregnancy, pregnant people may have lower amounts than usual.
Levels may rise to a greater range due to other factors including smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).[2]