We will update this article as new research is completed.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Two of the COVID-19 vaccines currently approved for emergency use in the United States \u2014 the Pfizer vaccine and the Moderna vaccine \u2014 are mRNA vaccines. That means that, instead of using a piece of dead or weakened virus to trigger an immune response, like a typical vaccine, they contain messenger RNA, a piece of genetic code that can be \u201cread\u201d by your cells.<\/span><\/p>\n Once the vaccine is injected, the mRNA instructs your cells to create a protein that\u2019s a lookalike for the spike protein on the outside of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Though the spike protein by itself is harmless, your immune system will identify it as a foreign body and produce antibodies to destroy it. Then, if you\u2019re exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in the future, your immune system will have the muscle memory to quickly destroy the virus before it makes you sick.<\/span><\/p>\n The spike protein and the mRNA used in the vaccine are both destroyed soon after they\u2019ve served their purpose. The amazing thing about mRNA vaccines is that they can create an immune response without having to actually inject the virus, or any piece of it, into your body\u2014making them extremely safe and effective.<\/span><\/p>\n The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, approved for use in Canada and parts of Europe, and the Janssen\/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, approved for use in the US, are both viral vector vaccines.<\/span><\/p>\n Viral vector vaccines work in a similar manner to mRNA vaccines: they deliver genetic material to the cells that prompts them to create spike proteins, which then trigger an immune response. It\u2019s the transportation that differs \u2014 viral vector vaccines use a different virus, such as a cold virus, to deliver the genetic material. The viral vector is modified so that it cannot replicate.<\/span><\/p>\n As of May 2021, we have evidence that the mRNA vaccines <\/span>do not<\/b> affect male fertility.<\/span><\/p>\n A <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> (still in preprint) of 43 male IVF patients at a hospital in Israel compared their semen parameters before and after receiving two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Researchers found no decrease in sperm count or motility (the percentage of sperm that are \u201cswimming\u201d) after vaccination. This was true for men with and without male-factor infertility.<\/span><\/p>\n Another <\/span>study<\/span><\/a>, reported in JAMA in June, found similar results. This study, out of the University of Miami, examined the semen parameters of 45 healthy men before and after vaccination with a Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccine. Researchers found no decline in sperm count or motility, and no men became azoospermic \u2014 zero sperm count \u2014 after vaccination.<\/span><\/p>\n Sperm<\/a> takes about 70 days to produce. This second study is important as it compared sperm tested before and 70 days after vaccination, encompassing an entire cycle of sperm production. This adds to the evidence provided by the earlier study, which examined semen parameters at an average of 33.6 days from the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Based on the evidence we now have, it does appear that COVID-19 vaccination affects short-term <\/span>or<\/span><\/i> long-term semen parameters.<\/span><\/p>\n Initially, while organizations like the Society for Male Fertility and Urology and the Society for the Study of Male Reproduction were <\/span>not<\/b> concerned about long-term effects of the COVID-19 vaccine on male fertility, they did warn about the possibility of a short-term impact on sperm count after the COVID-19 vaccine due to fever.<\/span><\/p>\n About 16% of vaccine recipients experience a mild-moderate fever. We know from studies on influenza and other febrile (fever-causing) illnesses that a fever can cause a temporary drop in sperm production. However, the studies explored above do not demonstrate any effect of fever on sperm count or motility.<\/span><\/p>\n While these parameters are correlated with your likelihood of conception, they are imperfect predictors of fertility. The studies above are small, and don\u2019t look at <\/span>sperm morphology<\/span><\/a> (the percentage of sperm that are the proper shape and structure) or genetic health (<\/span>sperm DNA fragmentation<\/span><\/a>). Nonetheless, they add to the bank of scientific knowledge that reassures us that COVID-19 vaccination will not impact male fertility.<\/span><\/p>\n We don\u2019t yet have specific data on the effect of the viral vector vaccines on male fertility. Thankfully, the way that these vaccines work doesn\u2019t raise any red flags. In fact, vaccination can be considered protective, since we know that <\/span>COVID-19 itself has some serious impacts on male fertility<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n No. The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines contain messenger RNA, which is physically and chemically different from DNA. DNA is two inter-coiled strands made up of four bases (the \u201cdouble helix\u201d), while RNA is a single strand made up of a different combination of bases. RNA\u2019s function in the body is to carry instructions to create proteins, as it does in the case of this vaccine\u2014it creates a lookalike for the COVID-19 \u201cspike\u201d protein. RNA does not change your cells\u2019 genetic material, which is securely housed in the cell nucleus.<\/span><\/p>\n The synthetic messenger RNA in the vaccines does not enter the nucleus of your cells, nor is it possible for it to incorporate into your genome. Your cells break down and dispose of the RNA strand soon after it\u2019s injected. So the mRNA vaccines will not impact the DNA inside your sperm, or DNA in any of the other cells in your body.<\/span><\/p>\n What can<\/strong> impact the DNA inside your sperm is illness, such as COVID-19 or influenza, along with smoking, chemical or toxin exposure, and paternal age. Damage to the DNA inside your sperm is known as sperm DNA fragmentation<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Society for Male Reproduction and Urology (SMRU) and the Society for the Study of Male Reproduction (SSMR), two major male fertility medical organizations, are <\/span>both recommending<\/span><\/a> that the COVID-19 vaccine <\/span>should<\/b> be offered to men desiring fertility when they meet the criteria for vaccination. Similarly, ASRM has issued <\/span>guidance<\/span><\/a> that patients who are trying to conceive or going through fertility treatments should be encouraged to receive the vaccine.<\/span><\/p>\n The mRNA vaccines do not appear to affect sperm count or motility, so vaccination should not impact the outcomes of fertility treatment<\/a>. However, if you and your partner are undergoing fertility treatment, you may want to talk to your doctor about timing, so that the potential impact \u2014 however small \u2014 of fever post-vaccination won\u2019t affect your cycle.<\/span><\/p>\n All signs point to yes, <\/span>COVID-19 has a significant impact on male fertility<\/span><\/a> \u2014 at least temporarily. In <\/span>one study<\/span><\/a>, moderate cases of COVID-19 were associated with drops in average sperm concentrations by two-thirds compared to healthy men, and drops in average motility of one-half. Additionally, researchers from as Israeli medical center <\/span>report<\/span><\/a> that patients with moderate COVID-19 symptoms have a 50% reduction in semen volume, sperm concentration, and sperm motility<\/a> 30 days post-diagnosis.<\/span><\/p>\n While we don\u2019t have enough data yet to say if the effect is long-term, we do know that the coronavirus <\/span>can infect the testicles<\/span><\/a>, and that cases of orchitis \u2014 painful inflammation of the testes that can cause permanent fertility issues \u2014 have been identified among COVID patients.<\/span><\/p>\n So, it\u2019s not inaccurate to say that the COVID-19 vaccine may actually protect <\/span>against<\/span><\/i> infertility by providing a high level of protection against COVID-19. There is no scientific or medical reason to freeze your sperm before vaccination. However, we are huge proponents of freezing your sperm as a way to preserve your fertility, regardless of age, illness, injury, or anything else that comes your way.<\/span><\/p>\n Sperm freezing<\/a> is a simple procedure, and the at-home kit offered by Legacy makes it even easier. Here\u2019s what the process looks like for Legacy clients:<\/span><\/p>\n Once you freeze your sperm, your fertility is protected against illnesses, accidents, the <\/span>genetic risks of being an older father<\/span><\/a>, and any other threat\u2014even those we may not know about yet.<\/span><\/p>\n Learn more about sperm freezing<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Many men are wondering if the new COVID-19 vaccines are right for them, and whether it will affect fertility. Here, we\u2019ve gathered all the available data to help you make an informed decision.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":15533,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"%%post_title%% %%sep%% %%sitetitle%%","_seopress_titles_desc":"We\u2019ve gathered the data to help you make an informed decision. Evidence shows COVID-19 vaccines do not affect male fertility.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[177,178,8,18,210,35],"tags":[36,179,242,124,254],"class_list":["post-15250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-covid-19","category-covid-19-understanding-male-health","category-science","category-improving-sperm-health","category-medical","category-understanding-male-health","tag-covid-19","tag-covid-19-vaccines","tag-fever","tag-illness","tag-vaccines"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15250"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15250"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15250\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16149,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15250\/revisions\/16149"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Key takeaways:<\/h3>\n
\n
\nHow do the COVID-19 vaccines work?<\/span><\/h2>\n
mRNA vaccines<\/span><\/h3>\n
Viral vector vaccines<\/span><\/h3>\n
Do any of the COVID-19 vaccines affect male fertility?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Research on COVID-19 vaccines and male fertility<\/span><\/h3>\n
![\"COVID-19](\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/vax-2-500x364.png\")
<\/p>\nThe bigger picture<\/span><\/h3>\n
Will the COVID-19 vaccine change my sperm DNA?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine if my partner and I are trying to conceive?<\/span><\/h3>\n
Does COVID-19 affect male fertility?<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/covid-19-vaccine-male-fertility-sperm-health-after-covid-500x167.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhat can I do to protect my fertility? Should I freeze my sperm before getting the COVID-19 vaccination?<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n
\nReferences<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n