The stitching of the vulva is part of the so-called Infibulation, a deplorable genital mutilation commonly inflicted in some countries of sub-Saharan Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Southeast Asia.
This practice is understood as a sort of guarantee of virginity, a very important requirement in traditional African societies.
The stitching of the vulva concerns the opening of the vaginal canal, which leaves only a hole open to allow the discharge of menstrual blood. Therefore, at least from a functional point of view, a sort of second hymen is created. Unlike the natural hymen that is usually torn during the first sexual intercourse, through the practice of infibulation sexual intercourse is impossible until defibulation (ie the sneaking of the vulva).
In addition to the stitching of the vulva, to preserve the chastity of young women until the day of marriage, the infibulation involves the removal of the clitoris, small lips and part of the large lips. The intent of these further mutilations is to inhibit in the woman temptations of premarital relationships first and then betrayals.
In the image on the right you can see the various types of partial and complete infibulations.
ALL CRAZY FOR COSMETIC SURGERY, INCLUDING VAGINAL SURGERY
Aesthetic surgery is a sector in constant and strong expansion, which for some years now also provides the opportunity to undergo treatments of vaginal and vulvar rejuvenation.
Among the most requested are the reconstruction of the hymen, the lifting and reduction of the large lips and the plastic of the perineum for better vaginal tone.
Then there is the hymenoplasty, which allows you to rebuild or repair the hymen to bring the woman back to a condition of similar virginity.
The hymen is a thin membrane that partially covers the vagina.
There is a wide variability among women in terms of size and thickness of the hymen, so much so that less than 30% undergoes a real rupture (with loss of blood) during the first sexual intercourse.
The rupture of the hymen is called defloration and, in addition to the first sexual intercourse, it can take place in sports or following local traumas, even manual.
The function of the hymen is not very clear; the most obvious reason would seem to be the defensive one against dirt and bacteria, but there are also more romantic hypotheses according to which the hymen has served to strengthen the woman's ties with her partner.
Imperforated hymen and Menstruation
This membrane - which covers more or less completely the outside of the vaginal opening - shows wide morphological variations in the female population.
From a clinical point of view, the most important type is the imperforated hymen, in which the membrane completely covers the vaginal opening.
This is a very rare condition, which requires a small surgical operation, called "hymenectomy"; this operation aims to create a small vaginal opening to allow the outflow of secretions and menstrual blood.
An imperforated hymen can create problems for the young woman, especially from the menarche, since it prevents menstrual blood from escaping causing abdominal pain, primary amenorrhea, urinary retention, constipation and lumbago.
Hymen in animals
The human species is not the only one having female specimens with hymen.
Also other animals, such as elephants, different primates such as chimpanzees, large marine mammals and even mice, are equipped with hymen. In the latter, in particular, the hymen follows a particular cycle: it opens during the oestrum (when the female is available for mating) and closes after the fecundation till the moment of the delivery.