Mumps Can Cause Infertility: Is it Real?

Article written by Dr., Doctor Tran Thi Phuong Thuy, Department of General Internal Medicine - Vinmec Times City International Hospital

Mumps is a viral infection. This disease often causes painful swelling of glands in front of the ear and above the jawbone (see image below), called the parotid glands. Mumps used to be very common and epidemic. The disease is less common today because most children have been vaccinated against mumps: it is the MMR vaccine, which protects against all three diseases: measles, mumps and rubella.
Mumps is transmitted by droplets, that is, through tiny droplets containing the virus that are released when an infected person coughs and sneezes. Therefore, close contact with a sick person without wearing a mask can easily infect you if you have not been vaccinated. The incubation period, which is the time from contact with an infected person to when you show symptoms, is about 14 to 18 days.
The initial symptoms of mumps are fever, fatigue, headache, body aches, and loss of appetite. Usually after 2 days will appear painful swelling of the parotid gland.

If you have symptoms of mumps, you should call your doctor or notify the operator when making an appointment. You will be given priority screening and in a separate examination area, to avoid spreading the disease to others.
Inflammation of the testicles and epididymis is the most common complication of mumps. The incidence of this complication in boys who have gone through puberty is about 15 to 30% of cases. Symptoms usually occur about 5-10 days after the swelling of the parotid gland, a high fever of 39-41 degrees Celsius can suddenly return, accompanied by swelling, redness, and pain. In about 60 to 80 percent of cases, there will only be swelling and pain in the scrotum on one side.
Testicular atrophy occurs in about 30-50% of patients with orchitis who have not been previously vaccinated. And there is decreased spermatogenesis in patients with bilateral orchitis; However, this complication is rare and very rarely causes infertility. Infertility is more common in men with bilateral than unilateral orchitis. No association has been found between mumps orchitis and testicular cancer.
In women, there can be complications from mumps ovary infection, which occurs in about 5% of women who have gone through puberty. Usually presents with lower abdominal pain, fever, and vomiting. Mumps can also cause mastitis and amenorrhea or early menopause, but this is rare. It is also not known whether mumps ovary infection in women causes infertility.
Thus, although rare, mumps can actually cause infertility. You should be vaccinated against this disease as recommended by your doctor.

Vinmec International General Hospital has been deploying immunization services with a variety of vaccines for different audiences, from infants, young children, adults, and women before and during pregnancy pregnant. This includes the mumps vaccine. The advantages of vaccination at Vinmec include:
Patients will be examined by specialist doctors, fully screened for physical and health problems, and advised on preventive vaccines and regimens. injecting equipment, monitoring and post-vaccination care before giving an indication to vaccinate according to the latest recommendations of the Ministry of Health & World Health Organization to ensure the best effectiveness and safety for children. . A team of experienced and professional pediatric doctors and nurses, understand children's psychology and apply effective pain relief methods for children during the vaccination process. 100% of vaccinated patients were monitored 30 minutes after injection and reassessed before leaving. Undertake medical supervision before, during and after vaccination at Vinmec Health System and always have an emergency team ready to coordinate with the vaccination department to handle cases of anaphylaxis, respiratory failure - circulatory arrest, ensuring Ensure timely and correct handling when incidents occur. Vaccines are imported and stored in a modern cold storage system, with a cold chain that meets GSP standards, keeping vaccines in the best conditions to ensure quality.

References: update.com