Effects of Infection with SARS-CoV-2 on the Male and Female Reproductive Systems: A Review.

Med Sci Monit

Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance, Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China (mainland).

Published: July 2021

AI Article Synopsis

  • COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, emerged as a global pandemic in late 2019, raising concerns about its effects on reproductive health.
  • Research indicates that SARS-CoV-2 poses more significant risks to male reproductive health than to females, with implications for pregnancy outcomes and possible vertical transmission of the virus from mother to baby.
  • The review examines how factors like immune response, hormonal influences on virus receptors, and antibody expression differences between genders impact reproductive systems and fertility during and after COVID-19 infection.

Article Abstract

Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly spreading pandemic that began at the end of 2019. COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Reproductive health has always been one of the most important healthcare problems, and the impacts of COVID-19 on the reproductive systems have become an emerging topic. The effects of infection with SARS-CoV-2 on males are more harmful than on females. The outcomes of pregnancy also can show the condition of male and female reproductive system health. The vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 significantly affects pregnancy healthy. SARS-CoV-2, antibody, and other factors, such as the decline of lymphocyte counts, and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and D-dimer levels, are evidence of SARS-CoV-2 vertical transmission. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is regarded as a virus receptor in the reproductive system. The expression and activity of ACE2 are influenced by sex hormones, especially the male sex hormones. The strength of immunity is crucial to fighting off viral infection. Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 show different expression in male and female patients, and the antibodies have been regarded as having potential applications in COVID-19 prevention and treatment. This review aims to present the current status of what is known about the involvement of the male and female reproductive systems, as well as the effects on pregnancy health, during infection with SARS-CoV-2, and discusses the implications for future fertility.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8259353PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.12659/MSM.930168DOI Listing

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