Effectiveness of inactivated and mRNA COVID-19 vaccines on sperm parameters

Abstract

Objective: The mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine has been shown to have no adverse effects on semen parameters. However, it is yet unknown whether the inactivated vaccinations have the same effect. Thus, our objective was to evaluate the parameters of sperm prior and following the administration of mRNA and inactivated COVID-19 vaccinations. Methods: In this study, the sperm quality was evaluated both before and after receiving the COVID-19 mRNA and inactivated vaccines. Of the participants, 28 received two doses of CoronaVac vaccine and 152 received two doses of mRNA BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech). Semen analyses were repeated 72 (57-145) days after the same individuals had received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccination. Results: No significant differences were found in the parameters of sperm before and after administration of two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine. Prior to and following administration of the two doses of the inactivated vaccine, there was no appreciable variation in the volume of semen, sperm concentration, progressive motility, total motility, immotility, or morphologically normal sperm features. Following CoronaVac vaccination before and after two doses, only the total sperm count was shown to statistically decrease (p=0.03). Conclusion: As a result, while there was no significant difference in the sperm parameters of the mRNA vaccine, it was determined that there was a statistical decrease in the total sperm count before and after two doses of CoronaVac vaccine. Since the semen volume of all patients is within normal limits, the first issue to be used here as a number is sperm per ml, which is important in terms of infertility, is the number.