tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Int J Environ Res Public Health
. 2022 Jan 16;19(2):984.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19020984.
The Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Female Fertility: A Review of the Literature
Andreea Carp-Veliscu[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Claudia Mehedintu[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Francesca Frincu[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Elvira Bratila[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Simona Rasu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ioana Iordache[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Alina Bordea[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Mihaela Braga[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
As the coronavirus pandemic is far from ending, more questions regarding the female reproductive system, particularly fertility issues, arise. The purpose of this paper is to bring light upon the possible link between COVID-19 and women's reproductive health. This review emphasizes the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on the hormones, endometrium and menstrual cycle, ovarian reserve, follicular fluid, oocytes, and embryos. The results showed that endometrial samples did not express SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Regarding the menstrual cycle, there is a large range of alterations, but they were all reversible within the following months. The ovarian reserve was not significantly affected in patients recovering from both mild and severe infection in most cases, except one, where the levels of AMH were significantly lower and basal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were increased. All COVID-19 recovered patients had positive levels of SARS-CoV-2 IgG in the follicular fluid. The amount of retrieved and mature oocytes and the fertilization rate were unharmed in three studies, except for one study, where the quantity of retrieved and mature oocytes was reduced in patients with higher levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The numbers of blastocysts, top-quality embryos, and euploid embryos were affected in most of the studies reviewed.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; embryos; endometrium; female reproductive system; follicular fluid; in vitro fertilization; menstrual cycle; oocytes; ovarian reserve.
. 2022 Jan 16;19(2):984.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19020984.
The Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Female Fertility: A Review of the Literature
Andreea Carp-Veliscu[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Claudia Mehedintu[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Francesca Frincu[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Elvira Bratila[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Simona Rasu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ioana Iordache[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Alina Bordea[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Mihaela Braga[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35055804
- DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19020984
Abstract
As the coronavirus pandemic is far from ending, more questions regarding the female reproductive system, particularly fertility issues, arise. The purpose of this paper is to bring light upon the possible link between COVID-19 and women's reproductive health. This review emphasizes the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on the hormones, endometrium and menstrual cycle, ovarian reserve, follicular fluid, oocytes, and embryos. The results showed that endometrial samples did not express SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Regarding the menstrual cycle, there is a large range of alterations, but they were all reversible within the following months. The ovarian reserve was not significantly affected in patients recovering from both mild and severe infection in most cases, except one, where the levels of AMH were significantly lower and basal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were increased. All COVID-19 recovered patients had positive levels of SARS-CoV-2 IgG in the follicular fluid. The amount of retrieved and mature oocytes and the fertilization rate were unharmed in three studies, except for one study, where the quantity of retrieved and mature oocytes was reduced in patients with higher levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The numbers of blastocysts, top-quality embryos, and euploid embryos were affected in most of the studies reviewed.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; embryos; endometrium; female reproductive system; follicular fluid; in vitro fertilization; menstrual cycle; oocytes; ovarian reserve.