JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has triggered a global public health crisis of unprecedented proportions. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is a highly effective strategy for preventing infections and severe COVID-19 outcomes. Although several studies have concluded that COVID-19 vaccines are unlikely to affect fertility, concerns have arisen regarding adverse events, including the potential impact on fertility, which is accentuated by limited and inconsistent evidence.

Objective:

This review aims to provide a recent assessment of the literature on the impact of COVID-19 vaccines on male sperm quality. The possible impact of COVID-19 vaccines on fertility potential was also examined to draw a clearer picture and evaluate the effects of COVID-19 on male reproductive health.

Methods:

PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, and the COVID-19 databases of the World Health Organization were searched from their inception to January 2023. Eligible studies included articles reporting SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and human semen quality and fertility, as well as the impact of vaccination on ART treatment outcomes.

Results:

The initial literature search yielded 303 records, 296 of which came from electronic databases and 7 from manual searches. Finally, twenty relevant studies were selected for our study. There were evident research inequalities at the regional level, with the United States and Western European contributing 40% (8/20) of the studies, Middle Eastern countries contributing 35% (7/20), China accounting for 25% (5/20), and Africa and South America accounting for none. Nonetheless, the overall quality of the included studies was generally good. Our results demonstrated that serious side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are extremely rare, and men experience few problems with sperm parameters or reproductive potential after vaccination.

Conclusions:

Based on the studies published so far, the COVID-19 vaccine is safe for male reproductive health. Obviously, vaccination is a wise option than suffering from serious adverse symptoms of virus infection. These evidences may help reduce vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccination coverage, particularly among reproductive-age couples. As new controlled trials and prospective cohort studies with larger sample sizes emerge, the possibility of a negative effect of the vaccine on sperm quality must be further clarified.