HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

Blood Test Showed 0-3 Rbc And Ublood Small. What Does This Mean?

Posted on Fri, 21 Dec 2012

Question: What is ublood mean in a urinalysis? Does that mean you are looking for the presence of red blood cells? I had a urinalysis and it said I have 0-3 rbc and ublood is small. In another urinalysis I had it said 4-6 rbc and WBC but ublood was negative so I am confused.

Answered by Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar (3 hours later)

Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic.

There is no medical term in a urinanalysis as "ublood". Have you misspelled the word or entered some abbreviated form of the word?

But to clarify your basic doubt, whether there is a difference between detecting RBCs and detecting "blood" in a urine test, the answer is yes. Here's the difference:

- Most urine tests detect the presence of RBC (red blood cells) through a microscopic examination. Now, presence of RBCs in the urine (known as "Hematuria") simply means that there is bleeding somewhere in the urinary tract - could be due to an infection or stone or injury or a bleeding disorder, etc.

- Some urine tests (especially the urine dipsticks) detect the presence of blood through the detection of hemoglobin (a protein which is the most important component of RBCs (red blood cells). The presence of hemoglobin in urine is called "Hemoglobinuria". The significance of hemoglobinuria is that it indicates that the RBCs have lysed or destroyed in the vascular system itself (called "Hemolysis"), thereby releasing the hemoglobin - which is excreted in the urine and detected as "blood". So, technically, there can be blood in urine without the presence of RBCs.

I hope I have clarified your doubt.

Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar (10 minutes later)

Thank you for your response. I have the print out of my lab work and it does say ublood-small. I am guessing it means a small amount of blood in my urine. I was treated with macrobid for 7 days but the report still says small. I am 14 weeks pregnant and have never had blood in my urine so obviously I am concerned. I did notice though that after taking the macrobid the rbc count went from 21-50 to 0-3. Do you think I should be concerned? My Dr doesn't but another opinion would be helpful. Thanks!

Answered by Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar (15 hours later)

Hi again and thanks for writing in.

I guess the "u.blood" probably refers to "urine blood". Anyway, one of the common causes for blood or RBCs in urine is a Macrobid (Nitrofurantoin) is an antibiotic which is specifically effective in treating urinary tract infections, and is also safe to take in pregnancy.

So, you have most likely had a urinary tract infection which is now subsiding after the antibiotic. Now a count of < 3 RBCs in urine is considered not significant, and so you don't have to worry or be anxious about this. So, you can certainly rest your mind on this issue.

Make sure that you drink plenty of fluids (2-3 litres per day) and don't hold your urine for long periods. You can also take Cranberry juice, which is a natural urinary antiseptic and prevent further urinary tract infections.

Wish you a safe pregnancy and good health.

Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar