Which hematologic change is expected in anemia from acute hemorrhage?

• A. Increase in reticulocytes
• B. Decrease in reticulocytes
• C. No change in reticulocytes
• D. Increase in platelets only, reticulocytes unchanged

Answer: (A)

Acute hemorrhage triggers a regenerative response where the bone marrow speeds up red cell production. As a result, more immature red cells, called reticulocytes, are released into the bloodstream, producing an increased reticulocyte count. This reticulocytosis reflects erythropoietin-driven erythropoiesis and typically appears after a short lag, then rises over the next few days as the body attempts to replace the lost red cells. A rise in reticulocytes is the hallmark of the marrow’s compensatory response to acute blood loss; absence of this rise would suggest a non-regenerative anemia rather than hemorrhage-related blood loss.