ABSTRACT
Several preventive measures, including vaccination, have been implemented owing to the severe global effect of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but there is still limited evidence in the effect of this disease and vaccination against it on male fertility. Therefore, this study is to compare sperm parameters of infertile patients with or without COVID-19 infection and the effect of COVID-19 vaccine types on them. Semen samples of infertile patients were collected consecutively at Universitas Indonesia - Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (Jakarta, Indonesia). COVID-19 was diagnosed by rapid antigen or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Vaccination was performed with three types of vaccine, namely inactivated viral vaccine, messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine, and viral vector vaccine. Spermatozoa were then analyzed on the World Health Organization recommendations, and DNA fragmentation was assayed with the sperm chromatin dispersion kit. The results showed that the COVID-19 group experienced a significant decrease in sperm concentration and progressive motility (both P < 0.05), but there was no significant change in morphology or sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI; both P > 0.05). The viral vector vaccine caused a decrease in morphology as well as an increase in DFI compared with the control (both P < 0.05), meanwhile results for those who were vaccinated with the inactivated and mRNA types were not significant compared with the control (both P > 0.05). We conclude that COVID-19 has negative effects on sperm parametes and sperm DNA fragmentation, and we found that the viral vector vaccines affect sperm parameter values and DNA fragmentation negatively. Further studies with a larger population and longer follow-up are needed to confirm the results.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Many studies have evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women's mental health and menstrual changes. However, most of these studies only included nonhospitalized COVID-19 patients, while information on hospitalized women is very limited. Thus, this study aimed to examine the mental health status and menstrual changes in hospitalized female COVID-19 patients. METHODS: A survey was administered to female COVID-19 patients in the isolation ward of a national referral hospital in Indonesia between January and August 2021, and the women were followed up 3 months after discharge. The survey evaluated menstrual patterns and mental health using the Self Reporting Questionnaire-29 (SRQ-29). RESULTS: The study enrolled 158 female patients. There was an increase in patients who had a cycle length of > 32 or < 24 days, and significant increases in menstrual irregularity and heavy menstrual bleeding were noted. Overall, 37.3% of the patients reported a change in menstrual pattern after infection with COVID-19. Based on SRQ-29 scores, 32.3% of the women had neurotic symptoms, 12.7% had psychotic symptoms, and 38.0% had symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. Patients with symptoms of mental health disorders were twice as likely to report a menstrual change (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.12-4.22; p = 0.021). CONCLUSION: Menstrual changes and increased symptoms of mental health disorders occur in hospitalized female COVID-19 patients. The length of isolation was the key factor affecting overall menstrual changes and mental health in hospitalized female COVID-19 patients.