Hymen

Himen redirects here. For the village in Iran, see

Himen, Iran.
This article is about the vaginal membrane. For the god
and other uses, see Hymen (disambiguation).

the hymenal opening can also be enlarged by tampon or

menstrual cup use, pelvic examinations with a speculum,
regular physical activity or sexual intercourse.[1] Once a
girl reaches puberty, the hymen tends to become very
elastic. In one survey, only 43% of women reported
The hymen is a membrane that surrounds or partially bleeding the rst time they had intercourse, indicating
that the hymens of a majority of women are suciently
covers the external vaginal opening. It forms part of the
[1][4]
vulva, or external genitalia, and is similar in structure to open to prevent tearing.
the vagina.[1][2] In children, although a common appear- Prepubescent girls hymenal openings come in many
ance of the hymen is crescent-shaped, many shapes are shapes, depending on hormonal and activity level, the
possible.[1]
most common being crescentic (posterior rim): no tisThe eects of sexual intercourse and childbirth on the sue at the 12 o'clock position; crescent-shaped band of
hymen are variable. If the hymen is suciently elas- tissue from 12 to 1011 o'clock, at its widest around 6
tic, it may return to nearly its original condition. In o'clock. From puberty onwards, depending on estrogen
other cases, there may be remnants (carunculae myr- and activity levels, the hymenal tissue may be thicker,
is often mbriae of uterine tube or errattiformes), or it may appear completely absent after and the opening
[5]
ically
shaped.
In younger children, a torn hymen will
[3]
repeated penetration. Additionally, the hymen may
typically
heal
very
quickly. In adolescents, the hymenal
be lacerated by disease, injury, medical examination,
opening
can
naturally
extend and variation in shape and
masturbation or physical exercise. For these reasons,
[1]
appearance
increases.
the state of the hymen is not a conclusive indicator of
virginity.[2][3]

A glass or plastic rod of 6 mm diameter having a globe on

one end with varying diameter from 10 to 25 mm, called
Glaister Keen rod, is used for close examination of the
hymen or the degree of its rupture. In forensic medicine,
it is recommended by health authorities that a physician
who must swab near this area of a prepubescent girl avoid
the hymen and swab the outer vulval vestibule instead.[4]
In cases of suspected rape or child sexual abuse, a detailed examination of the hymen may be performed, but
the condition of the hymen alone is often inconclusive.[2]

Development and histology

The genital tract develops during embryogenesis, from

the third week of gestation to the second trimester, and
the hymen is formed following the vagina. At week seven,
the urorectal septum forms and separates the rectum from
the urogenital sinus. At week nine, the Mllerian ducts
After giving birth, the vaginal opening usually has nothmove downwards to reach the urogenital sinus, forming
ing left but hymenal tags (carunculae myrtiformes) and is
the uterovaginal canal and inserting into the urogenital sicalled parous introitus.
nus. At week twelve, the Mllerian ducts fuse to create
a primitive uterovaginal canal called unaleria. At month
ve, the vaginal canalization is complete and the fetal hymen is formed from the proliferation of the sinovaginal 2 Anatomic anomalies
bulbs (where Mllerian ducts meet the urogenital sinus),
and becomes perforate before or shortly after birth.
Anomalies of the female reproductive tract can result
The hymen has no nerve innervation. In newborn ba- from agenesis or hypoplasia, canalization defects, latbies, still under the inuence of the mothers hormones, eral fusion and failure of resorption, resulting in various
the hymen is thick, pale pink, and redundant (folds in complications.[6]
on itself and may protrude). For the rst two to four
years of life, the infant produces hormones that continue
Imperforate:[7][8] hymenal opening nonexistent; will
this eect.[4] Their hymenal opening tends to be annular
require minor surgery if it has not corrected itself by
(circumferential).[5]
puberty to allow menstrual uids to escape.
Past neonatal stage, the diameter of the hymenal opening
Cribriform, or microperforate: sometimes confused
(measured within the hymenal ring) widens by approxfor imperforate, the hymenal opening appears to be
imately 1 mm for each year of age.[6] During puberty,
1

REFERENCES

5 Other animals
Due to similar reproductive system development, many
mammals, including chimpanzees, elephants, manatees,
whales, and horses retain hymens.[15][16]

normal Hymen

Carunculae hymenales

Hymen anularis

6 See also
Articial hymen

7 References
Hymen bifenestratus

Hymen labialis

Hymen trifenestratus

Hymen microperforatus

Hymen cribriformis

Hymen imperforatus

Various types of hymen (the dark areas represent the vaginal

opening)

nonexistent, but has, under close examination, small

perforations.
Septate: the hymenal opening has one or more bands
of tissue extending across the opening.

Hymenorrhaphy

Main article: Hymenorrhaphy

See also: Virginity fraud
In some cultures, an intact hymen is highly valued at marriage in the belief that this is a proof of virginity.[9][10][11]
Some women undergo hymenorrhaphy, a restoration of
their hymen for this reason.[11][12]

Womb fury

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, medical researchers used the presence of the hymen, or lack thereof,
as founding evidence of physical diseases such as wombfury, i.e. (female) hysteria. If not cured, wombfury would, according to these early doctors, result in
death.[13][14]

[1] Emans, S. Jean. Physical Examination of the Child and

Adolescent (2000) in Evaluation of the Sexually Abused
Child: A Medical Textbook and Photographic Atlas, Second edition, Oxford University Press. 61-65
[2] Perlman, Sally E.; Nakajyma, Steven T. and Hertweck, S.
Paige (2004). Clinical protocols in pediatric and adolescent gynecology. Parthenon. p. 131. ISBN 1-84214-1996.
[3] Knight, Bernard (1997). Simpsons Forensic Medicine
(11th ed.). London: Arnold. p. 114. ISBN 0-7131-44521.
[4] McCann, J; Rosas, A. and Boos, S. (2003) Child and adolescent sexual assaults (childhood sexual abuse)" in PayneJames, Jason; Busuttil, Anthony and Smock, William
(eds). Forensic Medicine: Clinical and Pathological
Aspects, Greenwich Medical Media: London, a)p.453,
b)p.455 c)p.460.
[5] Heger, Astrid; Emans, S. Jean and Muram, David (2000).
Evaluation of the Sexually Abused Child: A Medical Textbook and Photographic Atlas (Second ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 116. ISBN 0-19-507425-4.
[6] Imperforate Hymen. Web MD. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
Dierent normal variants in hymenal conguration are described, varying from the common annular, to crescentic,
to navicular (boatlike with an anteriorly displaced hymenal orice). Hymenal variations are rarely clinically
signicant before menarche. In the case of a navicular
conguration, urinary complaints (e.g., dribbling, retention, urinary tract infections) may result. Sometimes, a
cribriform (fenestrated), septate, or navicular conguration to the hymen can be associated with retention of vaginal secretions and prolongation of the common condition
of a mixed bacterial vulvovaginitis.
[7] Steinberg, Avraham; Rosner, Fred (2003). Encyclopedia
of Jewish Medical Ethics. ISBN 1-58330-592-0. Occasionally, the hymen is harder than normal or it is complete
and sealed without there being ... This condition is called
imperforate hymen and, at times ...
[8] DeCherney, Alan H.; Pernoll, Martin L.; Nathan, Lauren (2002). Current Obstetric & Gynecologic Diagnosis &
Treatment. McGraw-Hill Professional. p. 602. ISBN 08385-1401-4. Imperforate hymen represents a persistent

portion of the urogenital membrane ... It is one of the most

common obstructive lesions of the female genital tract. ...
[9] Muslim women in France regain virginity in clinics.
Reuters. 2007-04-30. 'Many of my patients are caught
between two worlds,' said Abecassis. They have had sex
already but are expected to be virgins at marriage according to a custom that he called 'cultural and traditional, with
enormous family pressure'.
[10] The Hymen. University of California at Santa Barbara.
Retrieved 2009-02-09. The hymen can have very important cultural signicance in certain cultures because of its
association with a womans virginity.
[11] Sciolino, Elaine; Mekhennet, Souad (June 11, 2008). In
Europe, Debate Over Islam and Virginity. The New York
Times. Retrieved 2008-06-13. 'In my culture, not to be a
virgin is to be dirt,' said the student, perched on a hospital bed as she awaited surgery on Thursday. 'Right now,
virginity is more important to me than life.'
[12] Hymenoplasty is depicted in a ctional context in Everett
Poe, an episode of the television series Nip/Tuck that was
broadcast in 2007.
[13] Berrios GE, Rivire L. (2006) 'Madness from the womb'.
History of Psychiatry. 17:223-35.
[14] The linkage between the hymen and social elements of
control has been taken up in Marie Loughlins book
Hymeneutics: Interpreting Virginity on the Early Modern
Stage published in 1997
[15] Blank, Hanne (2007). Virgin: The Untouched History.
Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 23. ISBN 1-59691-010-0.
Retrieved 2013-11-09.
[16] Blackledge, Catherine (2004). The Story of V. Rutgers
University Press. ISBN 0-8135-3455-0. Hymens, or vaginal closure membranes or vaginal constrictions, as they are
often referred to, are found in a number of mammals, including llamas, ...

External links
Magical Cups and Bloody Bridesthe historical
context of virginity
Hymen galleryIllustrations of hymen types
20 Questions About VirginityInterview with
Hanne Blank, author of Virgin: The Untouched History. Discusses relationship between hymen and
concept of virginity.
MedPix Teaching Case Radiology (US - ultrasound)
of Hydrocolpos
Evaluating the Child for Sexual Abuse at the American Family Physician
My Corona: The Anatomy Formerly Known as the
Hymen & the Myths That Surround It Scarleteen,
Sex education for the real world

The Hymen Myth

9 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

9.1

Text

Hymen Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymen?oldid=666417493 Contributors: -- April, William Avery, Modemac, Tucci528,

Patrick, Paul Barlow, Karada, Andrewa, Julesd, Raven in Orbit, Jengod, Bemoeial, Dysprosia, WhisperToMe, Wik, IceKarma, DJ Clayworth, Nv8200pa, EthanL, Tlotoxl, Renato Caniatti~enwiki, David.Monniaux, Carlossuarez46, SableSynthesis, Kadin2048, Hadal, Diberri,
David Gerard, Fabiform, DocWatson42, Djinn112, Wolfkeeper, Lethe, Everyking, Jfdwol, FriedMilk, Brockert, Golbez, Mr d logan, Hans castorp81~enwiki, Gscshoyru, Neutrality, Joyous!, Liberlogos, Kingal86, Discospinster, Rich Farmbrough, Jimj, Pie4all88,
Mani1, Paul August, Kjoonlee, MBisanz, Zenohockey, Mairi, Adambro, Bobo192, Viriditas, Elipongo, Arcadian, RandomWord, Chirag, Rje, Autopilots, Alansohn, Etxrge, Anthony Appleyard, Carbon Caryatid, Gareld226, Abartlet, Wtmitchell, Guthrie, CJS102793,
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9.2

Images

File:Hymen_en.svg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Hymen_en.svg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors:

Hymen_ger.svg Original artist: Hymen_ger.svg: *Typy_panenskch_blan.svg: FollowTheMedia

9.3

Content license

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