Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35713410›Full record

ArticleAndrology2022

Covid-19 vaccination BNT162b2 temporarily impairs semen concentration and total motile count among semen donors.

Itai Gat, Alon Kedem, Michal Dviri, Ana Umanski, Matan Levi, Ariel Hourvitz, Micha Baum

Open access · bronzeAbstract readMulticenter Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Andrology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
21citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
8.3field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

21 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 45 citations in OpenAlex.

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  5. Impact of COVID-19 on fertility and assisted reproductive technology (ART): a systematic review.Romanian journal of morphology and embryology = Revue roumaine de morphologie et embryologie
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  15. SARS-CoV-2, fertility and assisted reproduction.Human reproduction update · 2023
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Itai GatSperm Bank and Andrology Unit, Shamir Medical Center, Zrifin, Israel.
Alon KedemIVF Department, Shamir Medical Center, Zrifin, Israel.
Michal DviriIVF Department, Herzliya Medical Center, Herzliya, Israel.
Ana UmanskiSperm Bank and Andrology Unit, Shamir Medical Center, Zrifin, Israel.
Matan LeviSperm Bank, Herzliya Medical Center, Herzliya, Israel.
Ariel HourvitzIVF Department, Shamir Medical Center, Zrifin, Israel.
Micha BaumSackler Medical School, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Assaf Harofeh Medical Center · ILHerzliya Medical Center · ILTel Aviv University · ILSheba Medical Center · IL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe development of covid-19 vaccinations represents a notable scientific achievement. Nevertheless, concerns have been raised regarding their possible detrimental impact on male fertility

objectiveTo investigate the effect of covid-19 BNT162b2 (Pfizer) vaccine on semen parameters among semen donors (SD).

methodsThirty-seven SD from three sperm banks that provided 216 samples were included in that retrospective longitudinal multicenter cohort study. BNT162b2 vaccination included two doses, and vaccination completion was scheduled 7 days after the second dose. The study included four phases: T0 - pre-vaccination baseline control, which encompassed 1-2 initial samples per SD; T1, T2 and T3 - short, intermediate, and long terms evaluations, respectively. Each included 1-3 semen samples per donor provided 15-45, 75-125 and over 145 days after vaccination completion, respectively. The primary endpoints were semen parameters. Three statistical analyses were conducted: (1) generalized estimated equation model; (2) first sample and (3) samples' mean of each donor per period were compared to T0.

resultsRepetitive measurements revealed -15.4% sperm concentration decrease on T2 (CI -25.5%-3.9%, p = 0.01) leading to total motile count 22.1% reduction (CI -35% - -6.6%, p = 0.007) compared to T0. Similarly, analysis of first semen sample only and samples' mean per donor resulted in concentration and total motile count (TMC) reductions on T2 compared to T0 - median decline of 12 million/ml and 31.2 million motile spermatozoa, respectively (p = 0.02 and 0.002 respectively) on first sample evaluation and median decline of 9.5 × 10 DISCUSSION: This longitudinal study focused on SD demonstrates selective temporary sperm concentration and TMC deterioration 3 months after vaccination followed by later recovery verified by diverse statistical analyses.

conclusionsSystemic immune response after BNT162b2 vaccine is a reasonable cause for transient semen concentration and TMC decline. Long-term prognosis remains good.

Indexed as

COVID-19COVID-19 VaccinesSperm MotilityBNT162 VaccineCohort StudiesHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleRetrospective StudiesSemenSemen AnalysisSpermatozoaSperm CountTissue DonorsVaccinationBNT162 VaccineCOVID-19 VaccinesBNT162b2Covid-19male infertilitysemen donors

Identifiers

PMID35713410
PMCPMC9350322
OpenAlexW4283068888

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.