High White Blood Cell Count

Enjeneer

Just found out my white blood cell count is high, and sort of climbing. Normal levels are like 5 to 11 and I measured 14.3 and then 16.4 over the past few weeks. Normally this would indicate an infection, but after 3 negative pee culture tests I have no urinary infection which was their main concern. Oh and I feel fine coldwise, no symptoms.

The doc said this can be a common pregnancy symptom, because as your body grows baby, it can lower your defenses. Anyone else find themselves with a weakened immune system?

I'm not really concerned, other than now I'll be extra careful to do a wide detour around the grocery aisle to avoid the woman hacking up a lung or something.

BellaOso

I definitely have a weakened immune system. If someone sneezes 3 blocks away I have it 24 hours later. It's awful.

Good luck! I hope you continue to feel well despite the count. 

Katie6202

Yup, me! I was as high as 16 and have settled in the 13 range. I live around 12 anyway because I have severe allergies and that can make it slightly elevated too. Anyway, NBD really you are not alone!

Enjeneer

Good to know its not just me! High Sanitized Five to my fellow immunal deficient preggos!

Ahtnamas6789

I had my blood tested around 26 weeks and my white blood cell count was high and and my red blood count was a little low. My doctor was not worried and said it can be totally normal.

mdlorenz

Ahtnamas6789:

I had my blood tested around 26 weeks and my white blood cell count was high and and my red blood count was a little low. My doctor was not worried and said it can be totally normal.

This! Both "low" RBC count and "high" WBC count *can* be totally normal in pregnancy. Many times, medical folks (even ones who take care of pregnant women on a regular basis) use the computer-generated "normal" vs "abnormal" indicators without taking time to remember that pregnant lady labs can be completely different and not be pathological.

e.g. ... for 3rd tri, normal WBC can be 5.9-16.9 [x10^3 / mm^3] (Cunningham 2010: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/store/10.1002/9781444323870.app2/asset/app2.pdf;jsessionid=35F8F1B0A5D4B7927F53AF6A9E88178C.d02t01?v=1&t=hhy9r4qa&s=c4c59555df195f3e112a2d9062acd77581605fb5) 

Not to say that you should take a single lab value and declare yourself fine - your care provider's job is to look at labs in the right context (preggo status, symptoms, past medical history) and make a judgment call.

HTH!  

BellaOso

JenGivens:

Good to know its not just me! High Sanitized Five to my fellow immunal deficient preggos!

This made me LOL.

grneyz12

Yes, my white is high and red is low. I've had lab work done twice now and they want me to go back again in 3 weeks to recheck. I'm glad to read this thread though and see that its kind of normal, because they did not indicate this at all which made me a bit nervous.

staceyt70

My WBC count was 14+ then the next week was 16.5 and I felt fine, went back to the specialist he said he was concerned about my WBC count being so high, I had more blood work done and I will be seeing that Dr. again in a few days.  Now all the sudden I came down with a sinus infection 3 days ago and have a toothache but went to the dentist today to rule out an infection that could be making my WBC count higher.

JaymeMac

I'm confused.

kwrecks

FFS, when these old posts come up I'm aways so confused! I couldn't figure out why @BellaOso didn't tell that girl to go to A14. Ugh.

BellaOso

I guess it is evidence I have been around awhile in case anyone needed it? LOL!

Marvel1013

Weird... I reread all that twice, thinking I missed something. What's the point in commenting on something from almost s year ago!? I don't get it

BelhurstBride

She probably googled it trying to get info for her own condition, came upon the thread and felt compelled to comment without realizing it was going on a year old. The response here is her one and only contribution to the bump message boards. 

nottarbt

Mine was slightly elevated as well.  I asked my nurse midwife about the result, and she said that WBC is often a bit elevated during pregnancy, so being slightly above the normal level is not a concern.