Blood Chemistries | Lab Tests | GLOWM

Laboratory Tests

This section provides detailed information on a wide range of laboratory tests relevant to women's medicine

A rapid reference

Blood Chemistries

Blood chemistries refers to analysis of a number of chemical substances in the blood, having clinical significance.

While "blood chemistries" may have a specific meaning in a specific context, the words usually mean a series of blood tests taken either to evaluate a specific organ system (e.g., liver function tests), or as a general screening test (e.g., SMA-12, or Chem-20).

SMA-12

Chem-20

Chem-6 (SMA-6)

Cardiac enzymes

Liver function tests

Kidney function tests

Electrolytes

Thyroid function tests

Lipid profile

Coagulation profile

Amenorrhea profile

Normal Values*

A/G ratio >1
Albumin
Men-Women 3.8–5.0 g/dl 38–50 g/L
Pregnancy 1.9–4.0 g/dl 19–40 g/L
Alkaline phosphatase
Men 20–70 U/L

Women

20–150 U/L
Pregnancy 60–200 U/L
Amylase
Men 50–150 U/L

Women

60–180 U/L
Pregnancy 90–350 U/L
AST
Men 8–20 U/L

Women

6–18 U/L
Children 25–75 U/L
Bilirubin (total) 0.2–1.0 mg/dl
Bilirubin (indirect or unconjugated) 0.2–0.8 mg/dl
Bilirubin (direct or conjugated) 0–0.2 mg/dl
Bleeding time
Earlobe (Duke) <8 minutes

Forearm (Ivy)

<9.5 minutes
BUN (UREA)
Adults 8–23 mg/dL 1.7–8.0 mmol/L

Children

5–15 mg/dL 1.5–5.0 mmol/L
Pregnancy 5–12 mg/dL 1.5–4.5 mmol/L
Calcium
Men 8.8–10.0 mg/dl 2.15–2.55 mmol/L
Women 9.0–10.5 mg/dl 2.15–2.55 mmol/L
Pregnancy 8.1–9.5 mg/dl 2.02–-2.40 mmol/L
Children 9.2–11.0 mg/dl 2.30–2.75 mmol/L
Chloride
Men 98–106 mmol/L
Women 98–106 mmol/L
Pregnancy 93–100 mmol/L
Cholesterol: total
Desirable 140–200 mg/dl  3.6–5.17 mmol/L

Borderline

201–-239 mg/dl  5.2–6.18 mmol/L
High >240 mg/dl  >6.18 mmol/L
 
Cholesterol: HDL
Men 35–70 mg/dl 0.9–1.8 mmol/L

Women

35–85 mg/dl 0.9–2.2 mmol/L
Children 30–65 mg/dl 0.8–1.7 mmol/L
Cholesterol: LDL
Desirable <130 mg/dl <3.4 nmol/L

Borderline

130–159 mg/dl 3.4–4.1 nmol/L
High ≥160 mg/dl >4.1 nmol/L
Cholesterol: VLDL 25–50% of Total Cholesterol
CO2 content bicarbonate
Men 23–30 mmol/L

Women

21–30 mmol/L
Pregnancy 18–25 mmol/L
CPK (CK)
Men 5–100 IU/L

Women

10–70 IU/L
Pregnancy 5–40 IU/L
Creatinine
Men 0.6–1.2 mg/dl 53–106 µmol/L

Women

<1.5 mg/dl <133 µmol/L
Pregnancy <1.0 mg/dl <88 µmol/L
Children 0.3–0.7 mg/dl 26–62 µmol/L
Creatinine clearance

Men

70–130 ml/min
Women 91–130 ml/min
Pregnancy 120–160 ml/min
DHEAS
Men 80–640 µg/dl 217–1740 µmol/L
Women <350 µg/dl <950 µmol/L
Women: Moderate Increase 350–700 µg/dl 950–1900 µmol/L
Women: High Levels >700 µg/dl >1900 µmol/L
Estradiol
Men 13–42 pg/ml 48–154 pmol/L

Women 
(Proliferative Phase)

60–250 pg/ml 220–918 pmol/L
Women
(Luteal Phase)
75–450 pg/ml 275–1650 pmol/L
Women 
(Menopausal)
<10 pg/ml <40 pmol/L
Women
(Menopausal on estrogen replacement)
50–100 pg/ml 184–367 pmol/L
FSH
Men 4–25 mIU/ml 4–25 IU/L

Women

4–30 mIU/ml 4–30 IU/L
Women (Midcycle) 2 x baseline  
Women      (Menopausal) 40–250 mIU/ml 40–250  IU/L
FTI
Men 1.3–4.2

Women

1.75–4.95
Glucose: fasting
Men 70–110 mg/dl 3.9–6.1 mmol/L
Women 75–115 mg/dl 4.2–6.4 mmol/L
Pregnancy 60–105 mg/dl 3.3–5.8 mmol/L
Glucose: 2 hour postprandial
<140 mg/dl
<7.8 mmol/L
Glucose: pregnancy screening
Post 50 G Glucose Load <135 mg/dl <7.5 mmol/L
Glucose: gestational diabetes criteria

Post 100 G Glucose Load

Fasting 95 mg/dl 5.3 mmol/L
1-Hour 180 mg/dl 10.0 mmol/L
2-Hour 155 mg/dl 8.6 mmol/L
3-Hour 140 mg/dl 7.8 mmol/L

If two or more of these values are exceeded, gestational diabetes is present.

Hepatitis B surface antigen Negative
LDH
Men 95–200 U/L

Women

200–450 U/L
Pregnancy 200–450 U/L
LH
Men 7–24 mIU/ml 7–24 IU/L

Women
(Follicular Phase)

6–30 mIU/ml 6–-30 IU/L
Women
(Midcycle)
>3x baseline  
Women 
(Menopausal)
>30 mIU/ml >30 IU/L
Magnesium
Men 1.7–2.8 mg/dl 0.70–1.15 mmol/L
Women 2–3 mg/dl 0.82–1.24 mmol/L
Pregnancy 1.6–2.1 mg/dl 0.66–0.86 mmol/L
Therapeutic Range in Pre-eclampsia 4–7 mEq/L 1.65–2.88 mmol/L
Phosphorus phosphate
Men 2.7–4.5 mg/dl 0.87–1.45 mmol/L
Women 3.0–4.5 mg/dl 0.97–-1.45 mmol/L
Platelets
150,000–350,000/cu. mm
150–450 x 109/L
Potassium
Men 3.5–5.0 mEq/L 3.5–5.0 mmol/L
Women 3.5–5.0 mEq/L 3.5–5.0 mmol/L
Pregnancy 3.3–4.1 mEq/L 3.3–4.1 mmol/L
Pregnancy test Negative
Prolactin
Men <20 ng/ml 53–360 mIU/L
Women 2–ng/ml 53–360 mIU/L
Pregnancy 50–400 ng/ml 53–360 mIU/L
Protein (total)
Men-Women 3.8–.0 g/dl 38–50 g/L
Pregnancy 3.0–4.0 g/dl 30–40 g/L
PT
Men-Women 10–14 seconds (100%)
Therapeutic Range on oral anticoagulants 2–2.5 times normal, but not >30 seconds
PTT
PTT 30–seconds 
APTT 16–25 seconds
Therapeutic
Range on oral anticoagulants
2–2.5 times normal
SGGT γGT
Men 8–20 U/L

Women

4–18 U/L
SGOT AST
Men 8–20 IU/L 

Women

6–18 IU/L 
Children 25–75 IU/L
SGPT ALT
Men 7–17 U/L

Women

0–35 U/L
Pregnancy 0–35 U/L
Sodium
Men 135–145 mEq/L 135–145 mmol/L
Women 136–145 mEq/L 135–145 mmol/L
Pregnancy 130–140 mEq/L 130–140 mmol/L
T3 (total)
Men 120–195 ng/dl 1.2–2.6 nmol/L
Women 70–190 ng/dl 1.0–2.6 nmol/L
Pregnancy 100–220 ng/dl 1.1–2.6 nmol/L
T4 (total)
Men 5–12.5 µg/dl 64.4–161 nmol/L
Women 5–12 µg/dl 64.4–154 nmol/L
Pregnancy 10–17 µg/dl 128.7–2.9 nmol/L
T7 (FTI)
Men 1.3–4.2

Women

1.75–4.95
TSH
Men 0.5–6 mIU/L

Women

4–5 mIU/L
Triglycerides
Men 40–160 mg/dl 0.45–1.81 mmol/L

Women

35–135 mg/dl 0.40–1.53 mmol/L
Pregnancy <260 mg/dl <2.94 mmol/L
Children 30–138 mg/dl 0.34–1.56 mmol/L
Uric acid
Men 3.5–7.2 mg/dl 0.21–0.43 mmol/L
Women 1.5–6.0 mg/dl 0.09–0.36 mmol/L
Pregnancy 1.2–4.5 mg/dl 0.07–0.27 mmol/L

*These are general values taken from a variety of sources. The actual normal values may vary from lab to lab and from one type of testing protocol to another.