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Thanks to the mass roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations globally, there have been considerable drops in transmission, infections, and hospitalizations in all age groups. This has brought waves of relief to millions of people as the vaccination efforts have helped bring back some much-needed normalcy to daily life.
Even with the vast benefits of the vaccine, there has been a collection of misunderstood information.
Rumors and myths about the COVID-19 vaccine causing infertility in men have been doing rounds all across social media, causing some to hold out as they wait for more information on the potential long-term side effects of these shots.
Among the false claims about COVID-19 vaccines circulating online is that they pose a risk to pregnant women or those trying to conceive.
Sperm Parameters Will Not Be Affected After Vaccination
There is no evidence to support these theories, as recent studies have not linked the vaccines with problems related to pregnancy, erectile performance, testicular problems, or sperm quality.
Notably, in a study to investigate the effect of the Pfizer/BioNTech BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine on male fertility, the results demonstrated that the vaccine does not cause erectile issues or impair sperm parameters.
Such rumors are not a surprise, as many vaccines have a long history of being entwined with fertility fears. To make matters worse, the prevalence of social media only makes such false claims and misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine spread further and faster.
While there is no reason to believe these baseless claims, it should be noted with a lot of concern that being infected with the coronavirus can decrease ovarian function, increase complications in pregnant women, and lower semen quality in men.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus has been found to impact male hormones necessary for normal sperm production. Further, other studies have established a connection between COVID-19 and erectile dysfunction in the short or long term.
This shows that getting COVID-19 is more harmful than any risks associated with getting vaccinated. As such, being vaccinated against Covid-19 seems to be a safer bet for any couple out there that is trying to conceive.
Hopeful dads and men, in general, can relax about this issue and take the opportunity to get vaccinated to reduce the likelihood of getting infected with the virus.
At this moment, it's important for people to shift their mindset from what problems and side effects the vaccine can potentially cause to think about the harmful effects COVID-19 could have on their health.
In addition to getting your vaccination, mask up and keep doing everything you can to prevent the spread of the virus.