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.