If you have a vagina , your knowledge about the hymen probably starts and ends with something about virginity. Or so the theory goes. This thin membrane can tear from so many other things besides sexual intercourse. Some women may even be born without a hymen in the first place. Here are six things you may not know about your hymen. Though they come in different shapes and sizes, hymens are usually crescent-shaped. An imperforate hymen is a hymen that blocks the vaginal opening.

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Try out PMC Labs and tell us what you think. Learn More. Clinicians, however, continue to refer to changes in the hymen to assess for a history of consensual or nonconsensual sexual intercourse. We reviewed published evidence to dispel commonly held myths about the hymen and its morphology, function, and use as evidence in cases of sexual violence. An examination of the hymen is not an accurate or reliable test of a previous history of sexual activity, including sexual assault. We call on clinicians to consider the low predictive value of a hymen examination and to: 1 avoid relying solely on the status of the hymen in sexual assault examinations and reporting; 2 help raise awareness of this issue among their peers and counterparts in law enforcement and the judicial system; and 3 promote fact-based discussions about the limitations of hymenal examinations as part of clinical education for all specialties that address the sexual or reproductive health of women and girls. The online version of this article
The hymen is a thin piece of tissue that a person might have at the opening of their vagina. For some, it hurts when their hymen stretches or breaks, while others do not feel it happen. Many believe that the hymen breaks when a person has penetrative sex for the first time — this is not necessarily true. Some females do not have hymens. If a person has one, it may wear down gradually during other activities. In this article, we describe the hymen, what can happen to it during sexual intercourse for the first time, and what to do if sex becomes painful.