How MCH appears on your report
Look for Mean Cell Haemoglobin (MCH). The result is normally shown in pg, next to the reference interval used by the laboratory that ran the test.
Note the collection date before you compare it with anything, along with the context that matters for this marker: iron, vitamin B12 and folate status affect the amount of haemoglobin in each red cell. Read it with MCV and MCHC.
MCH range in Australia
Vector tracks MCH against an optimal range of 28.0–33.0 pg. Australia has no nationally harmonised reference interval for this marker, so the interval printed on your report varies with the laboratory and the assay it used.
Vector’s optimal range is the band the app tracks against and the one printed in the doctor report. Why the two differ.
What to read alongside MCH
A single marker rarely explains itself. These results are commonly interpreted together with MCH, and Vector keeps them within reach of each other as your record grows.
Tracking MCH over time
One MCH result is a single point. Import the report into Vector, check the extracted value, unit and collection date, and it becomes the start of a series instead — with each later report adding a dated point you can actually compare against.
Further reading
MCH is read the same way every other result on the report is. These two guides cover that method rather than this marker:
- How to read an Australian pathology report — A practical guide to dates, units, reference intervals and the context that belongs beside an Australian pathology result.
- Pathology report reference ranges: what they mean — Understand the laboratory interval, Australian guidance and the product context Vector adds to a result over time.
Common questions
What is a normal MCH range in Australia?
Australia has no nationally harmonised reference interval for MCH, so the range printed on your report varies with the laboratory and the assay it used — always read your result against the interval beside it. Vector tracks MCH against an optimal range of 28.0–33.0 pg, which is deliberately tighter than a population reference interval.
What is the optimal MCH level?
Vector treats 28.0–33.0 pg as the optimal range for MCH. An optimal range is a target the app tracks against, not a clinical threshold, and it can differ from the interval your laboratory prints.
What unit is MCH reported in on Australian pathology reports?
MCH is usually reported in pg on Australian pathology reports. The performing laboratory prints a reference interval in the same unit beside the result, and that interval is the one that governs your individual result.
What can change your MCH result?
Iron, vitamin B12 and folate status affect the amount of haemoglobin in each red cell. Read it with MCV and MCHC.
Sources
- RCPA Manual: Mean cell haemoglobinAustralian pathology reference for this test and related result context.
- Healthdirect: full blood countGeneral explanation of the full blood count and reasons for follow-up.
Published 2 August 2026 · Updated 3 August 2026 · Author Vector