Introduction
The novel coronavirus disease (named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization [WHO]) spread from a cluster of unexplained pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China to a global public health emergency affecting every country in the world within months and was declared a pandemic by the WHO on March 11, 2020.1 Throughout the intervening year, research has been ongoing to understand the health consequences of both SARS-CoV-2 infection and the new social order brought about by the pandemic. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, infertility was estimated to affect between 8% and 12% of couples of reproductive age worldwide, with male infertility known to be solely responsible for 20-30% of these cases and a contributing factor in 50% of all cases.2 Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, several studies have been conducted on the effect of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on the male reproductive system, especially testicular functions. These studies mostly focused on histopathological changes in testicular and semen parameters caused by COVID-19 infection, the presence of the virus in reproductive organs and semen, and its effect on sex hormones.3–6 Despite the vaccination programs currently underway, concern that the pandemic will continue long term raises the question of what impact pandemic-imposed lifestyle changes will have on male reproductive health. The aim of this study was to investigate semen parameters in men presenting to the urology clinic due to infertility in the first year of the pandemic and to compare the results with those in the previous two years.