# question for ladies (TMI) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 14, 2010, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483 "2010-03-14T22:54:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/41 "2010-03-15T19:06:21Z")
> [@Lazz](#): > > Handy pic: > [http://www.riversideonline.com/source/images/image\_popup/ans7\_tipped\_uterus.jpg](http://www.riversideonline.com/source/images/image_popup/ans7_tipped_uterus.jpg) > About 20% of women have it. > > I had this. Does having a uterus in that position present any complications of any kind? Medical or otherwise? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Why\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@The\_Why\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Why_Bird)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/42 "2010-03-15T19:43:39Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > How, um, strong is the hymen? None of the girls I’ve dated have been virgins (or otherwise had intact hymens). How hard is it to break through? > > I’m aware that I probably sound like a complete 'tard in this thread, yes. Lol, I really am investigating from the back of a jeep. Not very. I’m probably not the best person to answer this, because if I ever had a hymen it broke before I hit puberty without me noticing. Generally it is a very thin layer of tissue which breaks or tears quite easily - hence lots of girls break it by accident doing sports, masturbating, using tampons etc. For a few women it is stronger and might tear a bit the first few times she has sex rather than just when she loses her virginity. In a few cases it is strong and stretchy enough to not break from sex at all. You’re not really breaking through it as such. Think about pushing it aside. Imagine a little bit of rubber (like from a balloon) stretched half-way across the end of a tube. Then imagine how if you pushed a large object (or not so large, depending…) it might stretch and be pushed aside and tear a bit. That’s all there is to it. Virgins can use tampons because tampons are a lot smaller than most penises and the hymen won’t get in the way. As well as all the above exceptions such as not having a hymen. Edited to add: You might not even notice ‘breaking through’. It’s not like an act of surgery trying to fight your way into an unexplored vagina 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/43 "2010-03-15T19:50:32Z")
> [@The\_Why\_Bird](#): > > Not very. I’m probably not the best person to answer this, because if I ever had a hymen it broke before I hit puberty without me noticing. > > Generally it is a very thin layer of tissue which breaks or tears quite easily - hence lots of girls break it by accident doing sports, masturbating, using tampons etc. For a few women it is stronger and might tear a bit the first few times she has sex rather than just when she loses her virginity. In a few cases it is strong and stretchy enough to not break from sex at all. > > You’re not really breaking through it as such. Think about pushing it aside. Imagine a little bit of rubber (like from a balloon) stretched half-way across the end of a tube. Then imagine how if you pushed a large object (or not so large, depending…) it might stretch and be pushed aside and tear a bit. That’s all there is to it. > > Virgins can use tampons because tampons are a lot smaller than most penises and the hymen won’t get in the way. As well as all the above exceptions such as not having a hymen. > > Edited to add: You might not even notice ‘breaking through’. It’s not like an act of surgery trying to fight your way into an unexplored vagina 😉 I’ve studied ancient history, astronomy, philosophy, but it’s this thread that makes the world seem big. ---
**Author:** ![BleizDu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@BleizDu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BleizDu)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/44 "2010-03-15T20:01:19Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Does having a uterus in that position present any complications of any kind? Medical or otherwise? > **[American Pregnancy Association](https://americanpregnancy.org/tag/tipped-uterus/)** there they say it may causes: "Pain during sexual intercourse or dyspareunia. Pain during menstruation or dysmenorrhea. Other symptoms may include: Back pain during intercourse Minor incontinence Urinary tract infections Fertility problems Difficulty using tampons" I don’t think I ever had any symptoms, I only knew about it when I had my uterus removed (I’m trans), it was written on my surgery report that I had a tipped uterus and cervix. For a while I thought it was why I didn’t felt pain for certain sexual positions which are supposed to be painful if the guy goes too deep or is too forceful, since I figured my insides wouldn’t be in the way or something, but I’m not so sure now. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/45 "2010-03-15T20:12:32Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Does having a uterus in that position present any complications of any kind? Medical or otherwise? Mine is, and no, it’s not a problem\*. Many women go their whole lives without ever knowing theirs is tipped. Me, I only know because I had an OB mention it once in passing. I’ve heard from other doctors that they often don’t bother to mention it, because it doesn’t matter, but could freak out the patient (“If it doesn’t matter, then why are you telling me?!”). \*In my threads on Lumpy, the new tenant in my uterus, I mentioned that a tipped uterus can cause anal pain. Stabby-knife kind of pain. Apparently, though, it’s not terribly common even among the tipped crowd. I’ve only had it when I had severe menstrual cramps or ovarian cysts rupture, and now, when I’m pregnant. My understanding is that the uterus can lean against the rectum and pinch or put pressure on it, but I don’t really know. OBs and MDs, chime in! More commonly, it can cause pain in your lower back during your normal menstrual cramps, and pain durning sex, but some women get those even with a normally-situated uterus. As far as I know, though, that’s the long and short of it. ETA: **Lazz’s** link also mentions fertility problems, but every doc I’ve talked to about it says this is no longer believed to be true. Personally, I suspect that if there’s any correlation, it might be because the woman’s having pain during sex, and therefore less likely to have sex as often, thus reducing the chances of getting pregnant. But that’s just a WAG. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/46 "2010-03-15T20:13:04Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > I’ve studied ancient history, astronomy, philosophy, but it’s this thread that makes the world seem big. I’ve studied Hoo-has as much as circumstances have allowed, but they remain a mystery yet. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/47 "2010-03-15T20:20:29Z")
> [@Astroboy14](#): > > Sometimes they fall over? :eek: hell, sometimes they fall OUT! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/48 "2010-03-15T20:30:57Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Yep. You might want to keep a pad in place “just in case” as you get used to using the things… or even once you’re used to it, keep the pad in place for heavy days. During my youth, I used to use 2 Super Strength tampons during the heavy days, at the same time. No one would recommend it these days because of toxic shock dangers but back when I was young there were instructions on the box showing you how to insert them…they were inserted separately but the second one was a bit of a bitch to install because the 2 tampons had to end up in an overlapping position, not end to end ---
**Author:** ![aerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e9a140/32.png) [@aerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerie)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/49 "2010-03-15T20:30:58Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > I’ve heard that there is a medical condition where the hymen does indeed close off the whole vaginal canal. (I’m not googling for it at work.) This is bad because it’s just not supposed to be sealed up. So if a baby girl has that, they just open it up. > Try the veal flaps. My daughter had this it’s called a ‘vaginal adhesion’. The doctor pulled it apart with his bare hands when she was 6mos old. OUCH! I wasn’t at that visit, hubs was there. That was probably a good thing for the doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/50 "2010-03-15T20:41:34Z")
> [@aerie](#): > > My daughter had this it’s called a ‘vaginal adhesion’. The doctor pulled it apart with his bare hands when she was 6mos old. OUCH! I wasn’t at that visit, hubs was there. That was probably a good thing for the doctor. Oh my god. Is that standard, or was your doc just a sadist? ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/51 "2010-03-15T20:51:14Z")
Tipped uterus here. The OB/Gyn had a little trouble inserting my IUD because she couldn’t “see” my cervix. I can’t either, so I didn’t know what the big deal is. (har har har, I’ll be here all week.) Beyond that, I’ve never experienced a single negative consequence except that OB/Gyns seem to use that as an excuse when they are angling around with a speculum trying to find my cervix. Apparently, that thing moves around a bit, like it goes sightseeing or something. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/52 "2010-03-15T21:02:34Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > The OB/Gyn had a little trouble inserting my IUD because she couldn’t “see” my cervix. I can’t either, so I didn’t know what the big deal is. (har har har, I’ll be here all week.) :smack: > [@aerie](#): > > My daughter had this it’s called a ‘vaginal adhesion’. The doctor pulled it apart with his bare hands when she was 6mos old. OUCH! I wasn’t at that visit, hubs was there. That was probably a good thing for the doctor. None of the other stuff in the thread make me uneasy, but this one caught me by surprise. The thought of this horrifies me. > [@Lazz](#): > > I’m trans I’m not sure on the etiquette of talking about something like this (dunno if it’s too personal or w/e) but this fascinates me. You’re the first transsexual that I’ve talked to (not counting the fair few I’m sure I’ve talked to without knowing it). I, uh, don’t really have any questions atm, but I may in the future. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/53 "2010-03-15T22:40:45Z")
An adhesion is actually when the labia stick together. The condition in which the hymen completely covers the vaginal canal is “imperforate hymen.” I actually had a partially imperforate hymen–the opening in mine was approximately the size of a coffee stirrer. What I thought was “cramps” when I started my period was the blood pooling up and dripping out slooooowly. I figured it out when I tried to use a tampon the first time and absolutely could NOT get it in. I asked my mom about it and she watched me try (kind of embarrassing, but seeing as she’s a MD I looked at it as her having her doctor hat on), and told me that she was pretty sure this was what I had. Apparently her grandmother had it and, being a virgin upon marriage, had a pretty awful wedding night. I had surgery to remove it when I was 15 and life went on. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/54 "2010-03-15T22:57:03Z")
**Drain Bead** , I’m assuming that it’s not dangerous if not treated right away since your grandmother had it. Does the blood just come out slower than usual? I’ve heard that when it’s completely sealed up, that can be dangerous–the blood having no place to go… ---
**Author:** ![BleizDu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@BleizDu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BleizDu)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/55 "2010-03-15T23:36:02Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > I’m not sure on the etiquette of talking about something like this (dunno if it’s too personal or w/e) but this fascinates me. You’re the first transsexual that I’ve talked to (not counting the fair few I’m sure I’ve talked to without knowing it). I, uh, don’t really have any questions atm, but I may in the future. > > 😛 You may find this recent thread from october interesting 🙂 > **[Ask the transsexual! (FtM)](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=537742)** > > Well, the “Someone you know tells you they’re transsexual, do you care?” thread inspired me to come out of lurkerdom and offer you this one. For the record, I’m FtM (female-to-male), and transsexual might be a bit of a misnomer, depending on how you... ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/56 "2010-03-15T23:57:06Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > An adhesion is actually when the labia stick together. The condition in which the hymen completely covers the vaginal canal is “imperforate hymen.” I actually had a partially imperforate hymen–the opening in mine was approximately the size of a coffee stirrer. What I thought was “cramps” when I started my period was the blood pooling up and dripping out slooooowly. Ow ow ow! Hearing about [FGM](http://www.path.org/files/FGM-The-Facts.htm) must give you quasi-flashbacks! ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/57 "2010-03-16T01:19:23Z")
> [@Lazz](#): > > You may find this recent thread from october interesting 🙂 > [Ask the transsexual! (FtM) - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=537742) Just read through that thread and WOW. Very enlightening. Thanks for linking me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![aerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e9a140/32.png) [@aerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerie)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/58 "2010-03-16T03:38:12Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Oh my god. Is that standard, or was your doc just a sadist? Doc said that it is such a thin layer of tissue (almost a membrane) that surgery or cutting it is really almost overkill. My husband said she cried but not much, it was over before she knew it. Doc said it was like ripping off a bandaid. I don’t remember any blood at all, though it was irritated for a couple of days. He said we should keep an eye on it while she was young (2-3yo) because they have a tendency to grow back (adhere). Hers never did. ---
**Author:** ![aerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e9a140/32.png) [@aerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerie)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/59 "2010-03-16T04:04:36Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > An adhesion is actually when the labia stick together. The condition in which the hymen completely covers the vaginal canal is “imperforate hymen.” I actually had a partially imperforate hymen–the opening in mine was approximately the size of a coffee stirrer. What I thought was “cramps” when I started my period was the blood pooling up and dripping out slooooowly. I figured it out when I tried to use a tampon the first time and absolutely could NOT get it in. I asked my mom about it and she watched me try (kind of embarrassing, but seeing as she’s a MD I looked at it as her having her doctor hat on), and told me that she was pretty sure this was what I had. Apparently her grandmother had it and, being a virgin upon marriage, had a pretty awful wedding night. > I had surgery to remove it when I was 15 and life went on. \*\*Apologies, Drain Bead, \*\* You are very correct. Your condition is extremely more serious than my daughter’s. I’m glad you’re ok. He said ‘hymen’, I was thinking labial opening. I do remember same daughter having much trouble getting her tampon inserted too. Just like your mom, I was certain she had your condition esp given her previous issue as a baby (I had my RN cap on :)). But she was fine. Thank your for the correction. Pet peeve is seeing INCORRECT medical or anatomical information out there on the interwebz. Those who know correct info should try to stop the madness when we can. ---
**Author:** ![FalconFinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@FalconFinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FalconFinder)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/60 "2010-03-16T04:11:18Z")
> [@trapezoidal\_jellyfish](#): > > Next question: Other than taking it out and looking at it, is there any way to know when it’s time to change? Time. If you have no issues with needing it to be changed beforehand (such as it sliding out on it’s own or any other clues), just make sure you change it no later than 8 hours from the time you first put it in. As for the question about having a BM and it coming out, mine have also come out and I wasn’t pushing hard. I think the “movement” itself helps push the tampon out. TMI, but this whole thread is! :eek: 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483.md?page=4)