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Red blood cells

A red blood cell (RBC) count measures the number of red blood cells, also known as erythrocytes, in your blood. Red blood cells are made in your bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside your large bones. They contain hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein that carries oxygen from your lungs to every cell in your body.

A red blood cell (RBC) count is almost always part of a complete blood count (CBC), a group of tests that measures the number and type of cells in your blood. The RBC measurement is used to help diagnose red blood cell disorders, such as anemia, a condition in which your body does not make enough healthy red blood cells.

Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine

Normal range

45 published ranges, each from a named source
Normal
4.2–5.9 million/µL
Female
3.92–5.13 ×10¹²/L
Male
4.35–5.65 ×10¹²/L
Ranges from American Board of Internal Medicine (Laboratory Test Reference Ranges), Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog), Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog).

All source ranges (45)
SourceSexAgeRange
American Board of Internal Medicine (Laboratory Test Reference Ranges) All all ages 4.2–5.9 million/µL
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Female all ages 3.92–5.13 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Female all ages 3.92–5.13 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Female ≤ 14 d 4.12–5.74 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Female ≤ 14 d 4.12–5.74 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Female 15 d – 28 d 3.32–4.8 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Female 15 d – 28 d 3.32–4.8 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Female 1 mo – 2 mo 2.93–3.87 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Female 1 mo – 2 mo 2.93–3.87 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Female 2 mo – 5 mo 3.45–4.75 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Female 2 mo – 5 mo 3.45–4.75 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Female 6 mo – 2 y 3.97–5.01 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Female 6 mo – 2 y 3.97–5.01 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Female 2 y – 3 y 3.84–4.92 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Female 2 y – 3 y 3.84–4.92 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Female 3 y – 5 y 4–5.1 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Female 3 y – 5 y 4–5.1 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Female 6 y – 10 y 4.1–5.2 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Female 6 y – 10 y 4.1–5.2 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Female 11 y – 14 y 4.1–5.1 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Female 11 y – 14 y 4.1–5.1 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Female 15 y – 17 y 3.8–5 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Female 15 y – 17 y 3.8–5 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Male all ages 4.35–5.65 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Male all ages 4.35–5.65 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Male ≤ 14 d 4.1–5.55 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Male ≤ 14 d 4.1–5.55 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Male 15 d – 28 d 3.16–4.63 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Male 15 d – 28 d 3.16–4.63 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Male 1 mo – 2 mo 3.02–4.22 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Male 1 mo – 2 mo 3.02–4.22 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Male 2 mo – 5 mo 3.43–4.8 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Male 2 mo – 5 mo 3.43–4.8 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Male 6 mo – 2 y 4.03–5.07 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Male 6 mo – 2 y 4.03–5.07 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Male 2 y – 3 y 3.89–4.97 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Male 2 y – 3 y 3.89–4.97 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Male 3 y – 5 y 4–5.1 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Male 3 y – 5 y 4–5.1 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Male 6 y – 10 y 4.1–5.2 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Male 6 y – 10 y 4.1–5.2 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Male 11 y – 14 y 4.2–5.3 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Male 11 y – 14 y 4.2–5.3 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog) Male 15 y – 17 y 4.3–5.7 ×10¹²/L
Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog) Male 15 y – 17 y 4.3–5.7 ×10¹²/L

What an abnormal result can be associated with

A high result
Increased red blood cell count
A low result
Decreased red blood cell count
Associations from LOINC2HPO (Human Phenotype Ontology). This is reference information, not a diagnosis: only a clinician can interpret your result in context.
details
Sample
Whole blood · LOINC
Part of
CBC panel
Code
LOINC 789-8 · million/µL
Also known as
Erythrocytes, Discocytes, Erthrocyte, Erythrocyte, RBCS
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