Covid19 may damage sperm quality and reduce pregnancy in men, according to a new study based on experimental evidence.
The viral disease – which has spread worldwide, claiming nearly 2.2 million lives – can lead to more sperm cell death, inflammation and so-called oxidative stress, researchers reported Friday in the journal Reproduction.
“These findings provide the first direct experimental evidence that the male reproductive system could be targeted and damaged by Covid-19,” the authors concluded. citing the research, however, that the virus’ ability to harm fertility in men remains to be determined.
Covid-19 causes respiratory illness, especially in the elderly and those with underlying medical problems. The world has seen more than 100 million confirmed cases since the outbreak in central China in late 2019.
Passed through respiratory droplets, the disease attacks the lungs, kidneys, intestines and heart. It can also infect male reproductive organs, adversely affecting sperm cell development and disrupting reproductive hormones, previous studies have shown. The same receptors that the virus uses to get to the lungs are found in the testicles.
But the effect of the virus on male reproductive capacity was not yet clear. Behzad Hajizadeh Maleki and Bakhtyar Tartibian from the University of Justus-Liebig in Germany were looking for biological markers that may indicate adverse effects on fertility.
Analysis was performed at 10-day intervals for 60 days in 84 men with Covid-19 compared with data for 105 healthy men. In the Covid-19 patients, sperm cells showed a significant increase in signs of inflammation and oxidative stress, a chemical imbalance that can damage DNA and proteins in the body.
“These effects on sperm cells are associated with lower sperm quality and lower fertility potential,” Maleki said in a statement.
