The head of the Ministry of Health announced the impact of COVID on the reproductive health of Russians

Although the activity of COVID-19 in Russia has decreased, men and women of childbearing age who plan to have children, as well as pregnant women, should be vaccinated in a timely manner. This was stated by the head of the Ministry of Health Mikhail Murashko.

“The coronavirus pandemic has affected the reproductive health of Russians, including long-term consequences, therefore, despite the decrease in the activity of a new coronavirus infection, vaccination remains an urgent issue,” he said at the congress on reproductive medicine.

Ministry of Health expert Natalia Dolgushina reported in 2021 that women over 35 who had moderate or severe coronavirus were five times more likely to have problems with reproductive function than those who did not have COVID-19. The specialist also spoke about a possible decrease in hormonal function in men. At the same time, studies at Sechenov University have shown that while male hormone levels drop during illness, fertility rates return to normal after recovery.

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Ghebreyesus, noted that pregnant women are not at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19, but if they become infected, the likelihood that the disease will be severe increases. “It is vital that pregnant women around the world have access to vaccines to protect their lives and the lives of their children,” he said, also calling for them to be included in coronavirus drug and vaccine trials.

The UN pointed to another problem: Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Tlaleng Mofokeng, pointed out that due to coronavirus restrictions, 14 million women lost contraceptives, which led to an increase in unplanned pregnancies; access to safe abortion has been limited in a number of countries. Many were unable to receive timely assistance in the field of reproductive health.