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Comparison of spermiograms of men presenting due to infertility before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
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  • Mehmet Sarıer,
  • Meltem Demir,
  • Mestan Emek,
  • Sibel Usta,
  • Ahmet Soylu,
  • Elcin Konuk,
  • Hasan Turgut
Mehmet Sarıer
Istinye Universitesi

Corresponding Author:drsarier@gmail.com

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Meltem Demir
Antalya Bilim Universitesi
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Mestan Emek
Akdeniz Universitesi
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Sibel Usta
Medical Park Hospital
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Ahmet Soylu
Gozde Academy Hospital
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Elcin Konuk
Public Health Directorate
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Hasan Turgut
Avrasya University
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Abstract

Background: Following the rapid global spread of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Over the intervening year, there has been interest in the impact of both SARS-CoV-2 infection and pandemic-induced social restrictions on male reproductive health. This study aimed to evaluate the spermiogram values of men who presented to a urology clinic due to infertility during the pandemic and compare the results with those in the previous two years. Materials and Methods: Patients who presented to the urology outpatient clinic of Medical Park Antalya Hospital Complex for the first time due to infertility were included. The patients’ age, semen volume, and spermiogram results were recorded. The patients were divided by presentation date into pre-pandemic group 1 (March 2018 - February 2019), pre-pandemic group 2 (March 2019 - February 2020), and the pandemic group (March 2020 - February 2021) for comparison. Results: A total of 594 patients were included in the study. There was no significant difference between the three groups in terms of the number of patients who presented (207, 190, and 197 patients, respectively; p=0.691). The mean age was 36.6±7.2 in pre-pandemic group 1, 35.5±7.1 in pre-pandemic group 2, and 33.1±6.3 in the pandemic group. Patients who presented during the pandemic were significantly younger (p<0.001). There was no difference in semen volume among the groups (p=0.910). Analysis of spermiogram results revealed no significant differences in normospermia and pathological spermiogram rates by year (p=0.222). Conclusion : In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no significant difference in the number of men who presented for infertility or in their spermiogram results compared to 2018 and 2019. However, it is noteworthy that the patients were significantly younger during the pandemic than in the previous two years.