{"id":3202,"date":"2026-11-09T21:35:09","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T20:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/?p=3202"},"modified":"2026-11-09T21:35:13","modified_gmt":"2026-11-09T20:35:13","slug":"low-pcv-low-ferritin-anaemia-iron","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/low-pcv-low-ferritin-anaemia-iron\/","title":{"rendered":"Low PCV or Low Ferritin: Is It Anaemia or Low Iron Stores?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Quick answer:<\/strong> PCV (packed cell volume) shows how much of your blood is red cells. A low PCV means anaemia. Ferritin shows how much iron your body has stored. A low ferritin means your iron is running out, even if your PCV is still normal. Low ferritin is the most common reason for anaemia, and it can be treated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normal ranges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Test<\/th>Usual range<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
PCV, men<\/td>About 40 to 54%<\/td><\/tr>
PCV, women<\/td>About 36 to 46%<\/td><\/tr>
PCV, pregnancy<\/td>33% or more<\/td><\/tr>
Ferritin<\/td>Below 15 ng\/mL is clearly low; below 30 ng\/mL often means low iron stores<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Labs differ slightly, so check the range on your report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why the two tests together matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n