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The Journal "Obstetrics and Gynecology"Journal HistoryAims and ScopePolicies on Conflict of Interest, Human and Animal Rights, and Informed ConsentEditorial ProcessData sharing statementAdvertising PolicyThe Process for Handling Cases Requiring Corrections, Retractions, and Editorial Expressions of ConcernEditorial BoardEditorial CounsilInformation for ProfessionalsNewsContacts
ArchiveEthical StandardsSubscription
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Obstetrics and Gynegology2020№11
Effects of SARS-CoV-­2 on human...

Effects of SARS-CoV-­2 on human reproduction

DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2020.11.6-12

Dolgushin G.O., Romanov A.Yu.

1) M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia 2) Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of Russia, Moscow, Russia
The available information on the clinical features of COVID-19, the effects of the infection on various organs and systems, and the prevention and treatment is very limited and contradictory. There is especially little evidence for the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the human reproductive system.
The authors carried out a systematic analysis of the data available in modern literature about the effects of the SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 on the female and male reproductive system and fertility. The literature review includes data from the publications available at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ on this topic. The paper provides data on the etiology and pathogenesis of COVID-19, the ways of penetration into the human body, the possible mechanisms of damage to the gonads in males and females, and the available evidence of the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on human reproduction. Currently, there are no data proving the presence of infection of ovarian or endometrial tissues in women, which would affect oogenesis, embryo implantation, early embryogenesis, and the occurrence of pregnancy in natural cycles or in ART programs. It can be assumed that there may be the following disorders of the female reproductive system: ovarian tissue damage caused by SARS-CoV-2, which may contribute to ovulatory dysfunction; oocyte damage, which can facilitate the production of aneuploid oocytes; and endometrial cell damages, which can lead to impaired embryo implantation. The data on the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on spermatogenesis and testicular tissue damage are scanty and contradictory.
Conclusion. Further investigations are needed to study the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on human reproductive function.

Keywords

COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
coronavirus
novel coronavirus infection
autoimmunity
reproductive system
ovaries
testes
gonadotoxicity
intrauterine infection
Full text (in Russian)

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Received 31.08.2020

Accepted 03.09.2020

About the Authors

Grigory O. Dolgushin, student of Faculty of Fundamental Medicine, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. Tel.: +7(916)215-97-13. E-mail: grdolgushin@yandex.ru.
31-5 Lomonosovsky Prospekt, 117192, Moscow, Russia.
Andrey Yu. Romanov, MD, Researcher of R&D Department, V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Perinatology,
Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation. Tel.:+7(903)158-94-00. E-mail: romanov1553@yandex.ru. 4 Academica Oparina str., 117997, Moscow, Russia.

For citation: Dolgushin G.O., Romanov A.Yu. Effects of SARS-COV-2 on human reproduction.
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiya/Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2020; 11: 6-12 (in Russian).
https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2020.11.6-12

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