Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), referred to as COVID-19, is a virus that is currently responsible for the worldwide pandemic. The most common disease states of the female reproductive system include endometriosis, uterine fibroids, gynecologic cancer (cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, vulvar), interstitial cystitis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and male reproductive system comprise erectile dysfunction, acute/chronic epididymitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), male infertility, and cancers such as prostate, testicular, and penile. HIV/AIDS, herpes, & other sexually transmitted diseases, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis, are extremely prevalent in both men and women as well. Angiotensin-converting enzyme2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine (TMPRSS2) are significant enzymes that allow SARS-CoV-2 to enter and infect vulnerable hosts. Therefore, organ systems that present with a higher expression of these enzyme receptors are at greater risk of being impacted by this virus. While female reproductive organs appear to have a low overall expression of these receptors, the male testis show expression of both ACE2 and TMPRSS2 that could have an impact on both sperm motility and male infertility.  

Materials and Methods: Thus, PubMed, SciFinder, and Google Scholar databases were examined up to April 2021, using suitable keywords. Individual & pooled prevalence rates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) will be calculated using the fixed- or random-effects model as appropriate. Identification of the independent parameters based on age, sex, and illness to understand the effect of COVID-19 on the different disease states of the male/female reproductive system will be carried out using the fixed & random-effects meta-analysis models as appropriate. Due to COVID-19 being a relatively new virus around the world, further studies need to be continued to understand how this viral infection impacts the male and female reproductive systems.

Results and Discussion: When comparing viral pathologies, including COVID-19, H1N1, hepatitis, and HIV, some have shown the potential to cause infertility, particularly in males. However, the mechanisms in which this takes place appear to differ somewhat. Specifically, COVID-19 and hepatitis B had an impact on male fertility more significantly than the other viral pathologies that were assessed. COVID-19 binds to ACE2 and TMPSSR2 receptors on the testis which ultimately leads to a decrease in sperm motility and count, therefore causing infertility in males. Hepatitis B impacts male fertility by lowering sperm motility and significantly decreasing the fertilization rate of sperm. This takes place when the S protein of the hepatitis B virus (HBs) invades the cell membrane of sperm, resulting in sperm death or degradation of its typical function. In addition, hepatitis B can increase the risk of tubal and uterine infertility in females. While HIV does not appear to impact the characteristics and functionality of sperm, this virus could still have the potential to impact a male’s ability to produce sperm. HIV can decrease testosterone levels and cause hypogonadism in males, which can then cause erectile dysfunction. So, while more research needs to be conducted on COVID-19 and its impact on the male and female reproductive systems, this specific viral pathology seems to have a relatively unique effect on male fertility in comparison to other well-studied viruses.