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NATIONAL NEWS & VIDEO - There have been fears about both male and female infertility when it comes to Covid-19 and its various vaccines. Infertility, in this context, is described as the inability to conceive through regular, heterosexual intercourse.
A report by the Department of Health that focused on the general sentiment of people and their thoughts on Covid-19 vaccines found that misinformation regarding infertility has hampered the vaccination rollout.
Some of the hesitancies identified in parts of the Northern Cape specifically are that the vaccine is the ‘mark of the beast’ and the vaccine can also cause erectile dysfunction and infertility.
These unsubstantiated claims can easily be debunked, as there is no evidence to support them.
Vaccine and infertility
The claims that Covid-19 vaccines can cause infertility in both men and women do not hold credence. There are many distinguished and independent sources that dispel the notion that vaccines can cause infertility.
Firstly, there is no evidence reported by Pfizer, Moderna, or Janssen of any fertility issues when it comes to vaccine administration.
The United States’ Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has firmly stated that ‘there is no evidence suggesting that fertility problems are a side effect of any vaccine’.
A peer-reviewed article published in Fertility and Sterility sought to study infertility – especially in men – and any effects from the above-mentioned vaccines.
Among many findings, it was concluded that ‘the best current evidence suggests that men should receive the Covid-19 vaccine to prevent the potential risks to male reproductive health and male fertility with actual Covid-19 disease; further, there is no evidence and no credible theoretical underpinnings to link the Covid-19 vaccine with female infertility’.
Furthermore, the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine states there is ‘no evidence that the Covid-19 vaccine would reduce your natural fertility or harm the placenta or fetus’.
Covid-19 and infertility
Healthcare professionals have noted that if anything, Covid-19 would produce infertility issues, highlighting the need for people to get vaccinated.
According to a recent review paper published in the journal Reproductive Biology, moderate to severe Covid infections have caused decreased sperm count, testicular inflammation, sperm duct inflammation, and testicular pain in men of reproductive age.
“Covid-19 infected males have been reported to have orchitis and low sperm quality; whilst females have been reported to experience miscarriages, preterm delivery, and a prolonged cycle,”
Investigators in China found evidence that Covid-19 can infect the testis and germ cells, suggesting a potential impact on spermatogenesis (sperm cell development) and male fertility.
“Nevertheless, further study is essential to reveal the underlying mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 infection of testicular cells and the correlation of testis infection with the clinical course of Covid-19,” according to correspondence published on December 14, 2020, in Cellular and Molecular Immunology.
Although Covid-19 infection and infertility data is limited, current findings show there are more potential issues from contracting Covid-19 than from receiving a vaccine.
While studies and professionals laud the efficacy of vaccines, and continue to argue that there is not enough evidence or credible sources to prove that any vaccine causes infertility issues, misinformation continues to cause confusion, highlighting once again the importance of people fact-checking what they read.
Watch: Can the Covid-19 Vaccine make you infertile?
Covid-19 and immunity
Another concern raised by anti-vaxxers is that the vaccine attacks and negatively affects your immune system. Dr Laura Morris, associate professor of Family and Community Medicine and co-chair of the Missouri University Health Care Covid-19 vaccine committee, shares the following analogy to debunk this rumour.
“A good analogy I’ve heard is that for your immune system to get mixed up and attack the placental protein would be like you mistaking an elephant for an alley cat because they’re both grey,” Morris said.
“There is one small similarity, but the overall construction of the protein is so completely different, your immune system is way too smart to be confused by that.”
Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Group Editors (publications and online platforms) is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19.
