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Animal models of postpartum hemorrhage

Lab Animal volume 53, pages 93–106 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH)—heavy bleeding following childbirth—is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. PPH can affect individuals regardless of risks factors and its incidence has been increasing in high-income countries including the United States. The high incidence and severity of this childbirth complication has propelled research into advanced treatments and alternative solutions for patients facing PPH; however, the development of novel treatments is limited by the absence of a common, well-established and well-validated animal model of PPH. A variety of animals have been used for in vivo studies of novel therapeutic materials; however, each of these animals differs considerably from the anatomy and physiology of a postpartum woman, and the methods used for achieving a postpartum hemorrhagic condition vary widely. Here we critically evaluate the various animal models of PPH presented in the literature and propose additional and alternative methods for modeling PPH in in vivo studies. We highlight how current animal models successfully or unsuccessfully mimic the anatomy and physiology of a postpartum woman and how this may impact treatment development. We aim to equip researchers with the necessary background information to select appropriate animal models for their research related to PPH solutions, while supporting the goals of refinement, reduction and replacement (3Rs) in preclinical animal studies.

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Fig. 1: PPH causes and occurrence.
Fig. 2: Uterine anatomy and vasculature.
Fig. 3: Animal models of PPH.
Fig. 4: Methods for inducing PPH.

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Acknowledgements

S.E.H. acknowledges support from the American Heart Association (24PRE1200460). A.K.G. acknowledges financial support from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (R01 DE032031), the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) for the Director’s New Innovator award (DP2 EB026265), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R21 NS121945), Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) of Department of Defense (DOD) (W81XWH2210932), and President’s Excellence Fund (X-Grants) from Texas A&M University. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies.

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Sarah Hargett, Elaine Leslie.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA

    Sarah E. Hargett, Elaine F. Leslie & Akhilesh K. Gaharwar

  2. Medical Education, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, USA

    Hector O. Chapa

  3. Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics and Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA

    Akhilesh K. Gaharwar

  4. Department of Material Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA

    Akhilesh K. Gaharwar

  5. Center for Remote Health Technologies and Systems, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA

    Akhilesh K. Gaharwar

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S.E.H. and E.F.L. were instrumental in the conceptualization of the article, conducted the literature review, designed the figures, and were responsible for drafting and revising the manuscript. A.K.G. contributed to the article’s conceptualization, assisted in preparing figures, and contributed in both drafting and editing the manuscript. H.O.C. provided critical review of the manuscript. All authors contributed to the manuscript and approved its final version.

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Hargett, S.E., Leslie, E.F., Chapa, H.O. et al. Animal models of postpartum hemorrhage. Lab Anim 53, 93–106 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-024-01349-8

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