Bovine mucus penetration test and routine semen analysis of fresh and cryopreserved human spermatozoa

Semen samples from 18 fertile men and 18 infertile men were evaluated both fresh and after freezing and thawing using traditional semen parameter, the hypoosmotic swelling test (HOS-test) and the bovine cervical mucus penetration test (BMP-test). Major differences in the semen analysis between the fertile and infertile men were observed for motility, morphology (head and tail defects), the bovine mucus penetration test and the hypoosmotic swelling test. Cryopreservation resulted in a decrease regarding motility, the BMP-test and the HOS-test. Percentagewise the losses due to cryopreservation were higher in the infertile group than in the fertile group. The results of this study show that the bovine mucus penetration test as well as the HOS-test are valuable additions to the routine semen analysis of fresh and cryopreserved spermatozoa.