COVID-19 and Andrology: Recommendations of the French-Speaking Society of Andrology
July 2020
in “
Basic and Clinical Andrology
”
TLDR Wait 3 months after COVID-19 before trying assisted reproduction and further research is needed on COVID-19's effects on male hormones and fertility.
In July 2020, the French-speaking society of andrology (SALF) issued recommendations for the management of men with COVID-19 in relation to andrology. They advised a 3-month waiting period before attempting assisted reproductive technologies (ART) post-COVID-19 diagnosis to account for the full cycle of spermatogenesis and potential impacts of the virus and fever on semen quality. The society also recommended andrological examinations, sperm analysis, and hormonal evaluations both at the time of diagnosis and months later. They highlighted the need for further research into the relationship between androgens and COVID-19, noting observations such as higher morbidity and mortality in men, the prevalence of androgenetic alopecia in hospitalized male patients, and altered hormone levels in patients with severe COVID-19. SALF suggested that hypogonadism could be a contributing factor to the severity of COVID-19 symptoms in men and called for financial support for research in this area.
