Coronavirus infection: All you need to know about COVID and its impact on sexual health

There is no specific organ or a specific set of organs that come under the aggressive effect of COVID. Until now, it has been seen that COVID inducing coronavirus affects different organs in different individuals with different degrees.

It is difficult to fathom which organ will be affected the most following a COVID infection. Just knowing the symptoms and its severity will not infer any medical conclusion on the COVID effects.

Over these years, a number of effects of COVID have been discussed. One such is the effect of COVID on the sexual health of male individuals.

COVID does have an impact on the sexual health of of males. Research studies have confirmed an increased chance of new onset erectile dysfunction post-COVID-19 infection.

A recent research study published in the journal Sexual Medicine called for attention towards short- and long-term effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on erectile function and penile vasculature as s the virus has been found to be present within the penile tissue. The study involved over 230,000 adult men who had COVID-19 and compared them with a similar number of men who were not infected.

Apart from the biological factors, there are several social factors that affected sexual activity during COVID.

As per a research study, COVID-19 related restrictions were correlated with higher rates of sexual dysfunction and reduced sexual activity. The study on 2454 women and 3765 men found that restrictions on people’s activities, reduced sports activities, economic issues, increased psychological stress, and reduced entertainment have, indeed, dramatically impacted sexual activity and functioning.

Though more research study is required on this particular subject, studies have said that a short term impact of COVID is seen on sperm motility.

A research study published in February 2022 in the journal Fertility and Sterility had found that COVID-19 infection had effects on the sperm concentration and motility. With moderate COVID, a decrease in concentration and motility of spermatozoa in men was seen.

"The decrease in sperm quality parameters was greatest in men who were tested soon after recovery from COVID-19, less in men tested after 1 month, and least in men tested after 2 months or more," the study found and added that the temporary sperm abnormalities seen during acute COVID19 infection could be due to fever, since hyperthermia is known to have this effect.

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There's no evidence supporting the claim that COVID can be transmitted through sexual activities. But there is a chance of contracting the infection during a sexual activity through the respiratory droplets released by the infected person.

Having sex immediately after a COVID bout may not seem a good idea, given the fact that it is a highly contagious disease spread through air droplets released by an individual.

So even if sexual activity does not guarantee a COVID infection, intimacy can.

As per the US National Coalition of STD Directors, before engaging in sexual activity you need to make sure that you have not had a fever for three full days

without the use of medicine that reduces fevers and other symptoms have improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved) and 10 days have passed after symptoms first started.