Impact of covid on sperm - 4 months later?

[HayMay]

Hi,

Just thought I'd post to see if anyones in a similar boat!

Has anyones partners sperm been negatively affected in the longer term from having covid? I know it probably can't be scientifically proven unless you had really well timed tests... but where you think it's playing a part?

We went to see Dr R today and he thinks my partners previous 2 sperm analysis (taken in March and April) were likely impacted by having Covid in December!! The results from both previous tests showed really low sperm count/motility etc.

We have been doing some at home semen tests with Exseed since but he discounted those results due to inaccuracy.

My partner did another semen test today along with some other blood/urine tests etc but just thought it would be helpful to see if anyone else has suspected similar?

My partner had been prescribed anastrazole today and we need to go back in 5 weeks for another semen test and an ultrasound as they also found a varicocele.

Thanks in advance x

Did he have a fever when he had covid? I am sure I read somewhere that the high temperatures can damage sperm counts for 3 months or so afterwards.

Yes, we both had it at the same time and were feverish.

Mr R said today it can affect 2 sperm cycles so can take months - just hoping it's not even longer term but he did also find a varicocele which we didn't know about... ultrasound in 5 weeks to see how big it is x

Had your husband had a sperm analysis prior to having COVID? Otherwise there's no baseline! Could be that he always had low count/motility?

He hasn't! Mr R just thought the movement in numbers between the 2 tests in March and April linked to the date of having covid could be indicative! We won't know for sure - if we go back in 5 weeks and we're still at the same point then it's unlikely but he said he's seeing more of a trend now and mentioned couples who have been pregnant in the past where the male is now presenting with mfi after having covid and he said it's proven to impact 2 sperm cycles depending on the covid variant. Was just interested to see if anyone else has experienced similar and had tests before and after which demonstrate similar whilst we wait it out! x

I had heard that there was a link between men who have had Covid and sperm quality/numbers declining.

Dr R is amazing and I'm sure will help you both get it right. X

Thank you! Mr R seems great and it was so good to actually speak to someone and at least get a plan! Next steps with NHS would be IVF but Mr R doesn't think we are quite at that point yet. but we will see! x

@HayMay hey! I think I may be in the same boat as you... my OH has got two teenage children so has been able to have children easily in the past. We started TTC in February this year and caught Covid at the end of our 2nd cycle trying. We both had it at the same time and we had it BAD!! It lasted over two weeks and we felt crap for a month. We've been TTC ever since with nothing other than a chemical pregnancy at the beginning of June (cycle 5). We are now in our fertile period of cycle 7. Both upped the supplements, eating everything right, no alcohol etc. doing SMEP for the second months running....

I have read that Covid can affect sperm very negatively for at least 3 months afterwards. I genuinely believe it's the reason we haven't conceived yet, my Gynae and acupuncturist think the same too.

Given I've been pregnant twice before, him too, and we had a chemical together, my gut says his sperm are just not back to full strength yet and we may have a few more months of waiting around until they are better.

It's a real shame and makes me so sad but just wanted to say you aren't alone and is certainly give yourself 5 / months post Covid and then another 3 months to try with good sperm (in theory).

It's only 4 months post catching Covid for us, so we have decided to give it to October and then have some private tests done.

X

My DH caught covid just before my fertile period. I have a feeling we are out now for the next amount of months from reading online. It’s frustrating, having a miscarriage and losing all the time with that, to just be ready again (emotionally and physically) and then covid happens. We started trying in January, the mc wiped out feb-May. June was the first cycle after the surgery and now I’m guessing covid has affected this cycle and the near future.

@Blue2020 it's so sad tbh it really is that it takes sperm a full 3 months to recover completely. Still try through because there is a tiny bit of hope that the one good sperm still there reaches the egg. I blame Covid for my chemical pregnancy which was the last month of recovery and I think it was the damage to my egg or his sperm from Covid as we both had it badly. If his symptoms aren't too bad then don't stress too much as it also says the bad fever is what does it and some peoples symptoms aren't that bad x

@Angie2018 thankyou, we are still going to try. He had cold like symptoms (for five days) and a bad cough (for about 11 days). I thought that was the extent of it, however he did keep saying during that week that he felt cold in the day and very hot at night. So he likely did have a temperature as well. To what extent, I don’t know.

Hopefully you are near or at the end of it affecting your cycles. Hope it goes well with the next few cycles.

Get proactive in the meantime and put your OHs on L-Carnitine which improves sperm motility!

@Blue2020 thank you! I hope you aren't affected for long if anything. I would definitely say increase his supplements, Maca Root, vitamin D & E and there are more from the "it starts with the egg" book that focus on sperm. I've done this with my OH. I suspect we have a few months of strict health and supplements before we are lucky but I'm trying to tell myself we will get there. You will too!! I've also made sure our sugar intake is very minimal, most sugar comes from the berries we eat in the morning which are full of anti oxidants which are what he needs to reverse the oxidative stress on his sperm which Covid causes. Eat so many anti oxidants and foods containing natural folate. I am sure if you focus on that unlike us, you won't be affected for as long as us. Good luck please keep us posted x

Sorry to hear about your mc - sending love your way. I hope you aren't impacted too much, I'm sure it isn't everyone who's impacted and will be dependent upon the variant and how Ill you are. Will be interesting to see my partners results from last week and where we are in 5 weeks with the prescription. Take care and baby dust to you x

I'm sorry to hear that. It is a real shame isn't it, especially when we finally decide that now is the right time and everything feels pressured.. an added complication that isn't needed. It sounds like you're being pragmatic which is good though and have a mini plan - I would say maybe don't stop in between though as you never know, just maybe go in with an open mind and not expecting too much? There isn't as much data out there yet and my partner had never had a semen analysis prior to having covid, it was just Mr R initial response that made us think there could be a link as he must be seeing so many people with similar stats and blood test results in a similar position/ covid history. Let's keep each other updated - it'll be a long 5 weeks of me nagging my oh to remember to take his tablets and wearing his snowballs boxer shorts!! Baby dust to you x

I had my partner on all sorts of vitamins but after Mr R prescribed the anastrazole, I asked if my partner should take any more supplements and he said not for the time being until we see how this works in 5 weeks - but I didn't actually mention that he has already been taking them.

I've just told my oh to carry on with: vit d, omega 3 and his daily men vit tablet (Zita west vitamen) - do you think that's enough?! x

@HayMay no idea what's in the Zita thing, but Vit D and omega3 are just standard things many people take. Your choice I guess! I just know that it seemed to help my OH!

Maybe I'll tell him to continue with them all? I was just worried and panicked I'd be making things worse somehow by giving him things that hadn't been recommended by a professional.. but can any of things actually do damage?! Or worst case they just won't do anything!

This is what he was taking:
◦ CoQ10 - 300mg (+ vit c 150mg, vit e 15mg)
◦ Zinc - 15mg
◦ Vitamin C - 1000mg (+ rosehip 20mg)
◦ Vitamin D3 - 2000 IU
◦ Maca Root - 125mg
◦ Ashwagandha - 1100mg (2 tabs)
◦ Omega 3 fatty acid - 400mg
◦ l-acetyl-carnitine - 1000mg
◦ L-carnitine - 1000mg
◦ Zeta West men fertility tablets containing:
Vit D3 - 25ug
Vit E - 100mg
Vit C - 100mg
Vit B6 - 10mg
Folate - 400ug
Vit B12 - 20ug
Zinc - 25mg
Selenium - 100ug
L-arginine - 100mg
L-carnitine - 100mg
Taurine - 100mg
Coenzyme Q10 - 30mg

Thanks! x

Sorry I have no idea about many of those, but take care in giving multivitamins and then also extra quantities of what's already in them. There are certain vitamins etc that you shouldn't take too much of. Especially as they're listed in different units! Gets confusing! You'd have to research that though.

@HayMay thank you! I completely agree it is just an added stress we don't need, this journey is definitely already stressful enough!! I'm trying to be, however in my mind I am not overly hopeful or calm, I just feel deflated but this month I certainly am not expecting anything. I'm probably secretly praying I am wrong, but I don't feel as uptight and stressed as last month as I just am not convinced it's going to happen for a while. We are definitely still going to try and not stop, we hope it happens sooner rather than later but I am trying to manage my own expectations that I may not get a positive result for a while. I hope you manage to increase his sperm with the tablets and extra supplements. Please do keep me posted. And keep trying because you never know it does inky take 1 sperm to fertilise an egg!! Xx

@HayMay I recognise many many of those vitamins you have listed. We take the pregnacare preconception vitamins for me and him, they contain most of them. And then we too it up with others which I read are safe from the "it starts with the egg" book. Just double check the upper intake levels aren't exceeded.

The water soluble vitamins are no issues as he will pee any excess his body doesn't need, it's the fat soluble ones you need to be careful of. Vitamin A, D, folate etc shouldn't be exceeded. Also, it may be worth seeing how much folic acid his vitamin contains because the upper intake of folate is 800mcg I think, it's defo 800 something, and we need it in the form of folate and not folic acid which is a synthetic form and our bodies can't absorb it well and convert it correctly. We take an additional 400mcg of folate on top of the 400mcg folic acid. If it goes on for many more months I may start to reduce certain vitamins as I don't want us on them for too long but they are normally fine. Just a couple of them, vitamin A I think is the worst that shouldn't be overdosed on. X

@Angie2018 @HayMay thank you both. I have been away for the past four days. I will let you know how it goes. Good luck to both of you as well.

@Blue2020 thank you and you!!

My DH always had very good semen analysis results (I think he had 2 tests last autumn/winter) until he had Covid at Christmas. He had a fever which I suspect caused the problems.

His next SA early this year had poor motility and the count whilst still in the normal range was much lower than before. He did everything he was supposed to do between Christmas and IVF in April and by then the SA had improved but they still went ahead with ICSI rather than IVF which was a disappointment to him but obviously doesn't matter at the end of the day!