What does a urine occult blood 1+ mean?

A urine occult blood result of 1+ is a finding from a routine urinalysis, specifically indicating that after centrifugal sedimentation of the urine sample, 10 to fewer than 20 red blood cells are observed per high-power field under a microscope. This result suggests microscopic hematuria—meaning the urine appears normal in color to the naked eye, but red blood cells are present when viewed microscopically. Possible causes of a 1+ occult blood result include physiological factors such as intense physical exercise or menstruation in women, as well as pathological conditions such as glomerulonephritis, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, or other diseases affecting the kidneys or urinary system. Therefore, upon detection of a 1+ occult blood result, further medical evaluation is recommended to determine the underlying cause and initiate appropriate treatment.