An ecological comparison study on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on
semen quality based on a nationwide loosening of COVID-19 curbs in China
at the end of 2022
Abstract
Although reports have shown an association between coronavirus disease
2019 (COVID-19) and a reduction in male semen parameters, no population
big-data analyses have been verified. This ecological comparative study
aimed to explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on semen quality.
This ecological comparison study was based on the nationwide loosening
of COVID-19 curbs in China on 2022-12-07, 1 month after which, an 89%
infection rate was reported in Henan Province, China. We compared semen
quality and serum hormone levels from 2023-01-07 to 4-30 and 2022-01-07
to 4-30 at the Reproductive Center of Henan Provincial People’s
Hospital. Our results indicated a significant decrease in semen volume (
P<0.0001), sperm concentration ( P=0.0004),
total sperm count ( P<0.0001), progressive motility (
P<0.0001), and nonprogressive motility (
P<0.0001) after the nationwide loosening of COVID-19
curbs. The effects on semen volume and total sperm count lasted for a
long time. An increase in the rate of sperm neck defects was observed (
P<0.0001). Infection also caused hormone disruption in
prolactin ( P<0.0001), testosterone ( P=0.0220),
sex hormone-binding globulin ( P<0.0001), and free
testosterone index ( P=0.0126), and an increase in estrogen (
P<0.0001), osteocalcin ( P<0.0001),
and 25-OH-VD ( P<0.0001). The present study revealed
that mild COVID-19 appeared to have a detrimental effect on semen
parameters.