New study finds Covid-19 affects quality of Semen

New Delhi: Researchers of AIIMS Patna, Mangalagari (Andhra) and Delhi carried out a study which focuses on the quality of Semen.

The study was conducted to analyze the quality of semen, which is also known as the sperm count test. It suggested that covid-19 could affect the number of sperms present in the semen.

Samples were taken from 30 men between the age group of 19 to 43 years old who were suffering from coronavirus and were admitted at AIIMS Patna between October 2020 and April 2021. Two samples were taken from each man, one was taken soon after the corona infection and analyzed. The next one was taken after a duration of two and a half months.

After the analysis of both samples, researchers found that the quality of the semen was poor in the first sampling. At the same time, there was no improvement even after two and a half months. However, SARS-CoV-2 was not found in the samples.

In the first sampling, the study revealed that the volume of the semen was less than 1.5ml in 10 out of 30 men. Ideally, it should be in between 1.5 to 5ml per ejaculation. On the other hand, the thickness of the fluid and the number of living sperm and moving sperm was found to be affected in 26,29 and 22 respectively out of 30 participants.

The findings did not have a major change even after two and half months. According to the researchers, it did not even attain the optimum level.

The study says, although coronavirus is not present in the semen sample, but there are certain factors which may affect its quality. Factors such as an increase in overproduction of reactive oxidative stress during the corona infections and an increase in leukocytes in the body such as seminal plasma may have affected, as per the researchers.