Table 3.
The seminal fluid changes seen following vaccination.
| The study | Type; number enrolled and vaccine type | Sampling period and frequency | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abd ZH et al12 | Prospective observational study; 60 adult men; Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine |
The days between the pre-vaccine semen analysis and the first vaccination dose were 100.5 ± 69. The days first and second doses were 101 ± 37 and 133 ± 39 respectivly |
A statistically significant reduction in total sperm motility and progressively motile sperm, both readings before and after vaccination were within the normal range. |
| Safrai M et al15 | Case-control study; | The time between the first vaccine and the post-vaccine sperm analysis was 71.0 days | No significant changes in SFA after vaccination among men with a normal and abnormal semen analysis. Therefore, the BNT162b2 vaccine does not seem to affect sperm parameters |
| 72 men with normal and abnormal SFA; | |||
| BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 vaccine, a nucleoside-modifiedRNA vaccinedeveloped by BioNTech and Pfizer | |||
| Lifshitz D et al40 | Prospective cohort study; | 1–2 months following their second dose; Time from 2nd vaccination to participation was, on average, 37 days, | A trend of lower abnormal semen parameters predominantly within the normal range |
| 75 fertile men were analyzed; | |||
| Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine | |||
| Gonzalez DC et al41 | Prospective study; 45 were recruited Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine: Moderna |
1st sampling was after the first vaccine dose and around 70 days after. The follow-up samples were at a median of 75 days after the second dose of the vaccine |
After 2nd vaccine dose, the sperm concentration, motility, and semen volume were significantly increased. 7/45 men had increased sperm concentration to the normozoospermic range. 1/45 men who initially was oligospermia showed no meaningful decreases in any sperm parameter |
| Gat I et al16 | Retrospective longitudinal multicenter cohort study. BNT162b2 vaccination 37- sperm donors gave 216 samples The study had four phases: 1st pre-vaccination baseline control. 2nd post-vaccination samples |
The study had four times sampling: 1st pre-vaccination; baseline control samples. 2nd post-vaccination samples; here the sampling took place 3 times •Short timed sample to show the effect of vaccine with in (15–45) days • Intermediate time sample to show the effect of vaccine with in (75–125) days •Long timed sample to show the vaccine effect over 145 days |
A selective transient increase in sperm concentration and deterioration of total motile sperm. 3 months after vaccination, followed by later recovery. Long-term impact of the BNT162b2 vaccine seems safe. |