Some abnormalities can be seen in the hymen

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was consulted with MSc, Dr. Trinh Thi Thanh Huyen - Obstetrician and Gynecologist - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.
Non-perforated hymen or thick hymen are common abnormalities involving the female genitalia. Any disorder has the potential to affect a woman's physical and sexual health.

1. Hymen is not perforated

1.1. Overview Most girls are born with a hymen. The hymen is a thin membrane that crosses the vaginal opening and is usually ring-shaped with one or more small holes in the middle.
In general, the hymen has no specific physiological function, or if it does, helps to protect the vagina from infection.
The shape of the middle hymen hole is different for every girl, it can be ring, sieve or septum. However, about 1 in 1,000 girls born will have a hymen without an opening into the vagina, also known as an unperforated hymen.
Many girls are not even aware that they have an unperforated hymen until menstruation begins and is accompanied by complications due to stagnant menstrual blood, unable to exit the vagina. So far, experts have not been able to determine why some people develop this condition.
1.2. Symptoms Unperforated hymen is a congenital malformation. Although it is present from the moment a girl is born, it will not be recognized through any signs until the baby enters puberty.
At this age, symptoms often appear including abdominal pain and swelling in the lower abdomen that persists for several days. It is caused by a buildup of menstrual blood that gets trapped in the vagina and can spill into the uterus or fallopian tubes.
In addition, other symptoms may appear including:
There are no common symptoms in the female puberty stage such as: no period, breasts do not develop breasts or no pubic hair Pain abdomen or pelvis a few days per month

Back pain, chest tightness Unable to urinate or feeling pain when urinating: too much blood accumulates and compresses the urethra - the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. Bowel problems, such as constipation. In short, if a woman is over 18 and still has not had a period, she should think about the risk of undescended hymen.
1.3. Diagnosis Unperforated hymen is usually discovered incidentally in girls under 10 years of age. However, there are still cases where doctors suspect the presence of this abnormality when examining newborns periodically.
On examination, the hymen may be swollen due to the milky mucus, produced by the mother's hormones during pregnancy, accumulated outside the vagina.
Parents may decide to have their daughter have a procedure to create a hymenectomy now or wait until she is older.
For girls in puberty, when unexplained pain symptoms appear and persist, they will seek to see a doctor. At this time, the gynecologist will diagnose the condition of the hymen without perforation if the hymen is observed to be bluish due to stagnant menstrual blood in the vagina.
It is still necessary to conduct a vaginal or pelvic ultrasound to ensure an accurate diagnosis of the abnormality.
1.4. Treatment The current standard treatment is surgical removal of part of the hymen with a scalpel or laser. A small X-shaped cut just above the hymen opens the way for menstrual blood to exit and helps relieve painful and uncomfortable symptoms.
The above surgical method requires anesthesia and should be carried out in a hospital or reputable gynecological clinic. The patient will feel pain after the surgery. Your doctor will prescribe some pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics in the form of oral or topical creams. Some doctors recommend using a tampon-like device that is inserted into the vagina to keep the hymen open until it heals.
After receiving treatment, most girls will not experience any long-term complications. They can have sex, get pregnant and give birth to a baby like a normal, healthy woman.

2. Thick hymen

Normally a girlfriend's hymen is a fragile mucosal shield. However, there are many cases, some women have abnormally thick hymen. "Does thick hymen affect anything?" This is a question that many people are interested in, especially couples who are about to get married or have sexual activities.
According to medical experts, thick hymen is one of the reasons why girls feel pain every time they have intercourse or even can't have sex, whether it's the first time or after many attempts. try.
While many girls worry that their fragile hymen may be accidentally torn before having sex for the first time, the reality is that there are many couples who suffer and have problems in sex just because of the membrane. wife's virginity is too thick.
The advice at this time is that female friends need to go to a reputable hospital or gynecological clinic for a doctor to diagnose whether or not they really have a thick hymen. If necessary, surgical intervention is still needed to help the girlfriend no longer have pain and can have normal sexual activities.

3. Some other female genital malformations

Many people still mistake a few other abnormalities in the female genitals, such as adhesions of the labia or vaginal septum, to be related to the hymen. Despite having similar symptoms, the above conditions are actually in the group of female genital malformations other than hymen.
Sticky genitals: The edges of the baby's lips are completely or partially covered by the placenta, covering the vagina, making it difficult or impossible for the girlfriend to have intercourse, even risking fertility. Separated Vagina (Double Vagina): This condition is divided into two types: transverse septum and longitudinal septum. If the septum is completely transverse, the symptoms will be similar to those of an unperforated hymen. In case it is a vertical septum, it will make women feel pain or have difficulty having sex like having a thick hymen. In general, all abnormalities that can be encountered in the hymen such as: non-perforated hymen, thick hymen, or other genital malformations can affect the life as well as the ability to become a mother of children. female. Therefore, if there are suspicious symptoms, it is necessary to go for examination and examination, from which the doctor can intervene surgically to help the shape of the hymen as well as the vagina to return to normal health.

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Article referenced source: Healthline.com