Knowledge | COVID-19 may impair sperm quality for more than three months
European researchers report that even mild COVID-19 may reduce sperm count and motility, with effects lasting three months or longer.
The study was led by Spanish reproductive specialist Professor Rocio Núñez-Calonge and presented Monday at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) annual meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Notably, sperm quality had not clearly recovered even after a complete spermatogenesis cycle, normally 78 days.
“We expected semen quality to improve once the body began producing a new generation of sperm, but it did not,” Dr. Núñez-Calonge said in a statement. “We cannot yet determine how long recovery takes, and COVID may cause permanent damage in some men, even after very mild illness.”
The study began after several Spanish fertility clinics observed marked declines in sperm quality after COVID. Researchers conducted longitudinal semen analyses in 45 Spanish men, collecting samples before and after infection. Their average age was 31.
Compared with pre-infection values, semen volume fell 20%, sperm concentration nearly 27%, total sperm count nearly 38%, and the number of live sperm 5%.
Other studies have documented effects of COVID on the testes and sperm function, but the mechanism remains unclear. Researchers speculate that infection-related inflammation and immune damage may affect **testosterone (androgen)** levels. This remains unconfirmed because hormone levels were not measured.
Although concerning, the study did not conclude that lower sperm quality after COVID necessarily impairs fertility.
Dr. Carlos Calhaz-Jorge, conference representative and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Lisbon Faculty of Medicine, emphasized: “Sperm quality in these men remained within the World Health Organization (WHO) ‘normal range.’ We therefore cannot yet confirm whether these declines meaningfully affect conception. Further research is needed.”
Guide | COVID-19 May Affect Male Sperm Quality for More Than Three Months
Knowledge | COVID-19 may impair sperm quality for more than three months
European researchers report that even mild COVID-19 may reduce sperm count and motility, with effects lasting three months or longer.
The study was led by Spanish reproductive specialist Professor Rocio Núñez-Calonge and presented Monday at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) annual meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Notably, sperm quality had not clearly recovered even after a complete spermatogenesis cycle, normally 78 days.
“We expected semen quality to improve once the body began producing a new generation of sperm, but it did not,” Dr. Núñez-Calonge said in a statement. “We cannot yet determine how long recovery takes, and COVID may cause permanent damage in some men, even after very mild illness.”
The study began after several Spanish fertility clinics observed marked declines in sperm quality after COVID. Researchers conducted longitudinal semen analyses in 45 Spanish men, collecting samples before and after infection. Their average age was 31.
Compared with pre-infection values, semen volume fell 20%, sperm concentration nearly 27%, total sperm count nearly 38%, and the number of live sperm 5%.
Other studies have documented effects of COVID on the testes and sperm function, but the mechanism remains unclear. Researchers speculate that infection-related inflammation and immune damage may affect **testosterone (androgen)** levels. This remains unconfirmed because hormone levels were not measured.
Although concerning, the study did not conclude that lower sperm quality after COVID necessarily impairs fertility.
Dr. Carlos Calhaz-Jorge, conference representative and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Lisbon Faculty of Medicine, emphasized: “Sperm quality in these men remained within the World Health Organization (WHO) ‘normal range.’ We therefore cannot yet confirm whether these declines meaningfully affect conception. Further research is needed.”
Source:
Collected online