Imagine: you relax in the sauna regularly, and suddenly a doctor asks you to provide a semen sample. Russia’s Ministry of Health is introducing controversial changes to men’s reproductive health screening. Does hot steam really threaten fertility?
New Guidelines from Russia
According to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation on preventive examinations to assess men’s and women’s reproductive health (DORZ), men who visit bathhouses, saunas and other high-temperature places may be asked to have their semen quality checked. TASS reports this.
If a man indicates in the questionnaire used to assess the risk of reproductive health disorders that he often visits bathhouses, saunas and other high-temperature places, he will be referred for a semen test.
„If the answer to the questions in anamnestic questionnaire No. 1 [do you regularly visit bathhouses, saunas and other places with elevated ambient temperature?] is 'yes’, the patient is referred to the second stage of DORZ for a basic semen quality test (spermiogram), followed by a consultation with a urologist” – the recommendations state.
Earlier, senior lecturer at the State University of Education Aleksander Kaluzhin told „Gazeta.Ru” that cooling down in a pool or in snowdrifts after a bathhouse visit is dangerous to health due to excessive strain on the cardiovascular system.
Earlier, a urologist listed ways to improve fertility in the case of a poor spermogram result.
Russia’s Ministry of Health announced new rules for reproductive health assessment in March 2026. Men completing the questionnaire must state whether they often visit saunas or bathhouses. If so, the doctor will refer them for a semen test and a urologist appointment.
The changes are part of the national demographic programme. The goal? Early detection of fertility problems. Data from RIA Novosti indicate that a sauna raises testicular temperature, which may lower sperm quality – by as much as 40% after regular sessions.
The Risk Mechanism
- High temperature blocks sperm production.
- The effect lasts up to 3 months after a visit.
- Research from Russia shows a 20-30% drop in sperm motility among regular bathhouse visitors
An example? A guy going to the sauna 2-3 times a week may have semen results worse than a smoker’s. This is not a myth – Scandinavian studies, where Finns showed a similar effect after saunas, support this.
What Does the Semen Test Involve?
The procedure is simple and takes about 60 minutes
The key stages are:
- Collecting a sample at the clinic.
- Microscopic analysis: count, motility, sperm morphology.
- Consultation with a urologist – sometimes an ultrasound or hormone tests.
What Does This Mean for Russians and the Rest of the World?
Russia is fighting a demographic crisis – the birth rate fell to 1.4 in 2025. The mandatory tests are meant to raise awareness.
Sources: TASS, RIA Novosti, Rosstat.
