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New articles in this journal are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 United States License. 
 

 
This journal is published by the University of the University of Pittsburgh as part  
of its D-Scribe Digital Publishing Program and is cosponsored by the University of Pittsburgh Press. 
 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
Need for Couple’s Awareness 
About Sexual Health in COVID-19 
Pandemic 
 
Farzaneh Babapour1, Fatemeh 
Hamidi1, Zeinab 
Hamzehgardeshi2* 
 
 
1Department of Midwifery, Nasibeh 
School of Nursing and Midwifery, 
Mazandaran University of Medical 
Sciences, Sari, Iran; 
2Sexual and Reproductive Health 
Research Center, Department of 
Reproductive Health and Midwifery, 
School of Nursing and Midwifery, 
Mazandaran University of Medical 
Sciences, Sari, Iran 
 
*Corresponding author email: 
z.hamzehgardeshi@mazums.ac.ir 

 
Vol. 9, No. 1 (2020)   |   ISSN 2166-7403 (online)  
DOI 10.5195/cajgh.2020.490   |   http://cajgh.pitt.edu 



 
 
BABAPOUR 
 

 
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 United States License. 

 
This journal is published by the University Library System of the University of Pittsburgh as part  

of its D-Scribe Digital Publishing Program and is cosponsored by the University of Pittsburgh Press. 
 

Central Asian Journal of Global Health 
Volume 9, No. 1 (2020) | ISSN 2166-7403 (online) | DOI 10.5195/cajgh.2020.490 | http://cajgh.pitt.edu 

 
 

 
 

 

Need for Couple’s Awareness  
About Sexual Health in  
COVID-19 Pandemic 
 
 
Farzaneh Babapour1, Fatemeh 
Hamidi1, Zeinab Hamzehgardeshi2* 
 
 
1Department of Midwifery, Nasibeh School 
of Nursing and Midwifery, Mazandaran 
University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; 
2Sexual and Reproductive Health Research 
Center, Department of Reproductive 
Health and Midwifery, School of Nursing 
and Midwifery, Mazandaran University of 
Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran 
 
*Corresponding author email: 
z.hamzehgardeshi@mazums.ac.ir 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Editorial 

In December 2019, an outbreak of pneumonia 
was identified in Wuhan, China. This novel viral 
outbreak, now named Coronavirus Disease 2019 
(COVID-19), has since quickly spread around the world. 
It is recognized as a major public health concern and was 
declared a pandemic disease by the World Health 
Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020.1 There are 
similarities to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome 
(SARS) outbreak in 2003 and the Middle East 
Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak in 2012, 
suggesting that the SARS-CoV-2 virus primarily targets 
the respiratory system and is transmitted via air droplets 
and physical contact. Patients were evaluated for viral 
pneumonia through the special testing utilizing whole-
genome sequencing, cell cultures, and polymerase chain 
reaction (PCR). The virus was recognized as genus beta 
coronavirus and isolated from biologic samples, placing 
it alongside SARS and MERS.2 

The lives of millions of people around the world 
are currently being affected by the crisis caused by the 
outbreak of COVID-19. A less obvious repercussion of 
this pandemic is the potential implications for sexual 
health among those affected by the pandemic. According 
to the WHO definition, “sexual health is the state of 
physical, mental and social well-being in regard to 
sexuality. It requires a positive and respectful approach 
to sexuality and sexual relationships, in addition because 
the possibility of getting pleasurable and safe sexual 
experiences, freed from coercion, discrimination and 
violence.”3 

In developing countries in particular, the 
provision of sexual and reproductive healthcare services 
may be negatively impacted during the pandemic.4 The 
COVID-19 pandemic can pose a threat to sexual and 
reproductive health in both men and women through 



 
 

CENTRAL ASIAN JOURNAL OF GLOBAL HEALTH 
 

 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 United States License. 
 

This journal is published by the University Library System of the University of Pittsburgh as part  
of its D-Scribe Digital Publishing Program and is cosponsored by the University of Pittsburgh Press. 

 
Central Asian Journal of Global Health 

Volume 9, No. 1 (2020) | ISSN 2166-7403 (online) | DOI 10.5195/cajgh.2020.490 | http://cajgh.pitt.edu 

 
 

decreased access to medical care, lack of access 
condoms, increased incidence of sexually transmitted 
diseases, etc.5 With the global expansion of the COVID-
19, watching porn sites has increased. According to 
Pornhub, pornography use in several countries increased, 
with global traffic increasing over 11% from late 
February to March 17, 2020.6 Related concerns include 
the potential increase of gender-based violence, domestic 
abuse and effects of stigma and discrimination associated 
with COVID-19.7   

There are 27 known viruses associated with 
viremia in human semen, though there is still little known 
about SARS-CoV-2 in semen. One study has reported 
that SARS-CoV-2 can be present in the semen of patients 
with COVID-19, and SARS-CoV-2 may still be detected 
in the semen of recovering patients.8 Data from another 
study, however, showed that men with COVID-19, both 
the acute phase and the recovery, of SARS-CoV-2 is 
absent in samples from both semen and testes.9 

In addition, direct contact with saliva can 
potentially transmit the virus, considering the evidence 
that COVID-19 is a respiratory illness. Other possible 
transmission routes of SARS-CoV-2 via body fluids 
include bronchoalveolar-lavage, saliva, blood, urine, 
feces, sputum, tears.10 Therefore, it is important for the 
general public to know the basics of safe sex to prevent 
the spread of the COVID-19 virus and still enjoy intimate 
relationships. Given the importance of continued sexual 
health during the COVID-19 pandemic, studies of viruses 
found in semen, especially concerning SARS-CoV-2 
need to be a focus of future research.  

If future studies were to provide evidence that 
SARS-CoV-2 can be sexually transmitted, safe sex will 
be an important part of preventing transmission, through 
emphasis of transmission prevention methods such as 
condoms. Community participation, attention to sexual 
health across all age groups, non-discrimination, access 
to quality services and information and collaboration will 
advance the achievement of improved health during the 
pandemic. Further study is needed due to the importance 

of this area and lack of existing research about sexual 
health in COVID-19. 

 

References  
1. WHO Director- General’s opening remarks at the 

media briefing on COVID-19. 
http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-
gen Published 2020. Accessed March 11, 2020. 

2. Zhu N ZD, Wang W. et al.  A novel coronavirus 
from patients with pneumonia in China, 2019. N Engl 
J Med 2020. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2001017 

3. Sexual health and its linkages to reproductive health: 
an operational approach World Health Organization 
2017 
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/97892415128
8. Accessed 20 September 2017 ISBN: 978 92 4 
151288 

4. McKibbin W & Fernando R. The Global 
Macroeconomic Impacts of COVID-19: Seven 
Scenarios CAMA Working Paper No. 19/2020. DOI: 
10.2139/ssrn/3547729 

5. Hamzehgardeshi Z, Yazdani F, Rezaei M, & Kiani 
Z. COVID-19 as a Threat to Sexual and Reproductive 
Health. Iranian Journal of Public Health. 
2020;49(Supple 1). DOI: 
https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v49iS1.3688 

6. Mestre-Bach G, Blycker GR, Potenza MN. 
Pornography use in the setting of the COVID-19 
pandemic. J Behav Addict. 2020;9(2):181-183. DOI: 
10.1556/2006.2020.00015 

7. Tang K, Gaoshan J, Ahonsi B, et al. Sexual and 
reproductive health (SRH): a key issue in the 
emergency response to the coronavirus disease 
(COVID- 19) outbreak. Reproductive Health. 
2020;17(1):59. DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-
020-0900-9 

8.  Li D, Jin M, Bao P, et al. Clinical Characteristics 
and Results of Semen Tests Among Men With 
Coronavirus Disease 2019. JAMA Netw Open. 
2020;3(5)e208292. DOI: 
10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.8292 

9.  Song C, Wang Y, Li W, Hu B, Chen G, Xia P, et al. 
Absence of 2019 novel coronavirus in semen and 
testes of COVID-19 patients. Biol Reprod. 2020 
Jun;103(1):4–6. DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioaa050 

10. Mohseni AH, Taghinezhad-S S, Xu Z, Fu X. Body 
fluids may contribute to human-to-human 
transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome 
coronavirus 2: evidence and practical experience. 
Chinese Medicine. 2020;15(1):58. DOI: 
10.1186/s13020-020-00337-7

 


