Many men have been hesitant to take COVID19 shots due to rumors spreading on social media that the shots might have an adverse effect on men’s fertility. However, the new study has shown that sperm count and quality have not reduced in healthy young men who have taken the first or the second doses of COVID19 shots developed by Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna. The findings of the study have been released in the journal called JAMA. Dr. David Cohen, who is the medical director of the Institute for Human Reproduction in Chicago, has said that a growing body of evidence has shown that the COVID19 vaccination does not affect sperm count in men. He has said that the risk of reduced sperm count and quality due to vaccination is very low. He has not been involved in the new study. Dr. David Cohen has been co-author of a systemic review that has found that the SARS-CoV-2 virus does not spread via sexual contact. Dr. Allan Pacey, who is the professor of Andrology at the University of Sheffield in the UK, has said that the new findings reassure that being vaccinated with two doses of one of the mRNA COVID19 shots will not alter sperm count. Pacey has said that the study will provide little relief to those men who are not taking vaccines due to concerns over their fertility. Dr. Allan Pacey also works as editor-in-chief of the journal Human Fertility.
The authors of the study have taken semen samples of 45 men who have been in the age range of 25 to 31 years. These men have been tested before the study to make sure that they do not have any fertility issues. Experts have taken semen samples before participants have taken the first dose of the mRNA vaccine. The second samples of the participants have been collected 70 days after they have taken the second dose. The authors of the study have tested the samples to find out sperm volume, motility, concentration, and total sperm count. The director of male reproductive medicine and surgery at the University of Miami Health System, Dr. Ranjith Ramasamy has said that there have been no changes in sperm parameters in young healthy men who have been given two doses of mRNA-based vaccines. The Johnson & Johnson shot and AstraZeneca vaccines have not been tested in the new study, as they are not mRNA-based shots. However, the mechanism of all these shots is almost similar despite genetic material differences. Therefore, experts hope that these two shots as well will not alter sperm count and quality in men. Dr. Allan Pacey has said that there is a need for further large-scale studies to verify the findings of this study.
On the other hand, a small study has revealed that though COVID19 vaccines might not have any adverse effect on sperm count, the SARS-CoV-2 virus can damage the male reproductive tract. This study has found that men who have tested positive for COVID19 have been found with elevated inflammation and oxidative stress in sperm cells as compared to those who have not been diagnosed with COVID19. Experts who have been involved in the past study have said that the virus can affect sperm concentration, mobility, and shape. Experts have said that these differences rise with the severity of the disease. Dr. Allan Pacey has said that it is not at all surprising that the virus can affect the male reproductive system negatively as the ACE2 receptor that is used by the virus to gain access to tissue of the lungs is also found in testicles. Dr. Pacey has reviewed more than a dozen studies that have been done on this topic. He has said that any detectable effect of the virus on the male reproductive system might be temporary. Health experts have claimed that drugs that are used to treat COVID19 infection can also impact sperm count and quality. Therefore, large-scale studies are required to determine that it is the virus, which is causing such effects. Researchers have found that viruses such as Zika or Ebola can stay in the testicles for a long time even after recovery. It shows that scientists need to examine men for a long time to find out if it happens in the case of COVID19 as well.
Many men have been hesitant to take COVID19 shots due to rumors spreading on social media that the shots might have an adverse effect on men’s fertility. However, the new study has shown that sperm count and quality have not reduced in healthy young men who have taken the first or the second doses of COVID19 shots developed by Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna. The findings of the study have been released in the journal called JAMA. Dr. David Cohen, who is the medical director of the Institute for Human Reproduction in Chicago, has said that a growing body of evidence has shown that the COVID19 vaccination does not affect sperm count in men. He has said that the risk of reduced sperm count and quality due to vaccination is very low. He has not been involved in the new study. Dr. David Cohen has been co-author of a systemic review that has found that the SARS-CoV-2 virus does not spread via sexual contact. Dr. Allan Pacey, who is the professor of Andrology at the University of Sheffield in the UK, has said that the new findings reassure that being vaccinated with two doses of one of the mRNA COVID19 shots will not alter sperm count. Pacey has said that the study will provide little relief to those men who are not taking vaccines due to concerns over their fertility. Dr. Allan Pacey also works as editor-in-chief of the journal Human Fertility.
The authors of the study have taken semen samples of 45 men who have been in the age range of 25 to 31 years. These men have been tested before the study to make sure that they do not have any fertility issues. Experts have taken semen samples before participants have taken the first dose of the mRNA vaccine. The second samples of the participants have been collected 70 days after they have taken the second dose. The authors of the study have tested the samples to find out sperm volume, motility, concentration, and total sperm count. The director of male reproductive medicine and surgery at the University of Miami Health System, Dr. Ranjith Ramasamy has said that there have been no changes in sperm parameters in young healthy men who have been given two doses of mRNA-based vaccines. The Johnson & Johnson shot and AstraZeneca vaccines have not been tested in the new study, as they are not mRNA-based shots. However, the mechanism of all these shots is almost similar despite genetic material differences. Therefore, experts hope that these two shots as well will not alter sperm count and quality in men. Dr. Allan Pacey has said that there is a need for further large-scale studies to verify the findings of this study.
On the other hand, a small study has revealed that though COVID19 vaccines might not have any adverse effect on sperm count, the SARS-CoV-2 virus can damage the male reproductive tract. This study has found that men who have tested positive for COVID19 have been found with elevated inflammation and oxidative stress in sperm cells as compared to those who have not been diagnosed with COVID19. Experts who have been involved in the past study have said that the virus can affect sperm concentration, mobility, and shape. Experts have said that these differences rise with the severity of the disease. Dr. Allan Pacey has said that it is not at all surprising that the virus can affect the male reproductive system negatively as the ACE2 receptor that is used by the virus to gain access to tissue of the lungs is also found in testicles. Dr. Pacey has reviewed more than a dozen studies that have been done on this topic. He has said that any detectable effect of the virus on the male reproductive system might be temporary. Health experts have claimed that drugs that are used to treat COVID19 infection can also impact sperm count and quality. Therefore, large-scale studies are required to determine that it is the virus, which is causing such effects. Researchers have found that viruses such as Zika or Ebola can stay in the testicles for a long time even after recovery. It shows that scientists need to examine men for a long time to find out if it happens in the case of COVID19 as well.
