Expert: Robert Borucki - 6/28/2009

Question
Hello:

I could not find an expert in the other categories that was available to answer my question, but perhaps you may know the answer.

When a young virgin girl starts to have her monthly cycle how does the discharge pass through her hymen, and if she uses a tampon for the first time, does it puncture the hymen when it is inserted?

I thank you for your reply.


Answer
The anatomy of the hymen varies greatly from person to person.  Rarely does it completely block the opening of the cervix to the outside... and when that does happen, it has to be pierced surgically.... much more often, it simply narrows the opening greatly and is torn during intercourse or less so, with a tampon.