Murine models of advanced maternal age: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Animal models have been developed to aid understanding of the increased incidence of adverse pregnancy complications observed in women of advanced maternal age (AMA). This systematic review of murine models of AMA demonstrates consistent effects of decreased litter size and fetal weight; this supports the future use of these models to determine pathophysiological mechanisms and test therapeutic strategies to improve poor pregnancy outcomes in AMA.

Advanced maternal age (AMA; ≥35 years of age) is associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. To explore causes of adverse pregnancy outcomes in AMA, and to test candidate therapies, an increasing number of murine AMA models have been developed. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature to assess whether murine AMA models demonstrate a reproducible effect on pregnancy outcomes. PubMed, Ovid, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched. Studies that reported on pregnancy outcomes in AMA mice and rats were included; the SYstematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) tool evaluated the risk of bias. Eleven mouse and six rat studies were included. AMA mice and rats had reduced litter size (standardised mean difference (SMD): -1.59, 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.84, -1.34 for mice; SMD: -1.66, 95% (CI): -2.09, -1.23 for rats) and reduced fetal weight (SMD: -0.87, 95% CI: -1.24, -0.49 for mice; SMD: -1.05, 95% CI: -1.40, -0.69 for rats). Placental weight was increased in AMA mice (SMD: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.16, 1.08). Subgroup analysis indicated that C57Bl/6 mice had less heterogeneity than other, mostly outbred, mouse strains with regards to litter size (C57 strain I2 = 68.2% vs other strain types I2 = 85.7%). The risk of bias was high, mostly due to the lack of methodological detail and unclear reporting of findings. Murine models of AMA demonstrate similar adverse pregnancy outcomes to those observed in large human epidemiological studies. The reproducible phenotypes in AMA murine models allow the exploration of mechanisms underpinning poor pregnancy outcomes and the pursuit of therapeutic interventions.