VTNE Laboratory Procedures Practice Test

Hypochromia means red blood cells have less hemoglobin, so they stain paler. The most common reason for this is insufficient iron to make hemoglobin—iron deficiency—which lowers hemoglobin synthesis and produces pale, often microcytic RBCs. The other options don’t explain the pale appearance: hypertonic drugs affect cell water content but not hemoglobin pigment; iron toxicity isn’t a typical cause of hypochromia; and increased erythrocyte production would raise RBC numbers but not reduce their hemoglobin content.