EVALUATION OF THE RELATIOSHIP BETWEEN ADVANCED MATERNAL AGE AND PREGNANCY OUTCOME: A SCOPING REVIEW

Abstract

Background Childbirth at advanced maternal age (AMA) is increasing among women, and some studies have shown adverse outcomes. There is a need to map evidence on the subject to harness findings and identify research gaps for further studies. This scoping review aims to examine pertinent studies on AMA and its impact on pregnancy outcomes. Methods The Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) chart is employed for systematic data extraction. This review draws from Google Scholar, the Cochrane Library, Medline (via PubMed), and Embase (via OVID). For inclusion in this scoping review, articles must thoroughly examine and elucidate the effects, impacts, and relationships between advanced maternal age and pregnancy outcomes. A crucial prerequisite is that the articles undergo a peer-review process to ensure the reliability and credibility of the presented information. For this review, advanced maternal age is defined explicitly as women aged ≥35. However, studies focusing on women aged ≥40 are also considered, mainly if they are high quality. In terms of research methodology, both primary and secondary research will be eligible, encompassing systematic reviews and meta-analyses. This broad inclusion aims to capture a comprehensive overview of the existing literature on the subject. Furthermore, articles must be presented in the English language to facilitate a standardized and accessible analysis. This criterion ensures that language barriers do not impede the review's ability to synthesize relevant information effectively. Results There are significant associations between advanced maternal age and poor pregnancy outcomes, even when adjusted for confounders. Conclusions The adverse pregnancy outcome due to maternal age alone may be due to placental dysfunction resulting from a relative deficiency in maternal cardiovascular adaptations to pregnancy, and this provides a window for further studies