Hymen

Hymen

Reproduction, development and work

Published in Chris Winder, Neill Stacey, Occupational Toxicology, 2004

A membrane called the hymen partially covers the outside of the vagina in young females. This is ruptured in a range of activities, such as vigorous sports, insertion of a tampon, during pelvic examination, or during the first episode of sexual intercourse.

Postpartum sedentary behaviour and pelvic floor support: A prospective cohort study

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Journal Information

Published in Journal of Sports Sciences, 2023

Janet M. Shaw, Ali Wolpern, Jiqiang Wu, Ingrid E. Nygaard, Marlene J. Egger

Trained and certified clinical coordinators assessed pelvic floor support at each visit using the standardized and reproducible Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) exam (Bump et al., 1996; Hall et al., 1996). In this system, the lowest level of vaginal descent during strain is measured relative to its distance in centimetres from the hymen and support at the level of the hymen is represented as “0 cm”. Our primary outcome was maximal vaginal descent, the greatest observed descent of the anterior, posterior or apical vagina, dichotomized as above the hymen (<0 cm; better support) versus at or below the hymen (≥0 cm; worse support). This cut-point represents the level at which women are likely to experience symptoms of POP, such as the sensation of pressure or a bulge in the vagina (Barber et al., 2006). We also conducted a sensitivity analysis dichotomizing support for POP-Q Stages 0 or 1 versus Stage 2. This staging system, often used for clinical care and research, represents less advanced POP as the cut-point for vaginal descent is located 1 cm above the hymen, rather than at the hymen as in our primary outcome definition. No woman in our population had support loss worse than Stage 2.

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Reproduction, development and work

Postpartum sedentary behaviour and pelvic floor support: A prospective cohort study