How to Deal with Having an Imperforate Hymen

Confirming You Have an Imperforate Hymen

See your gynecologist if you have monthly cramping but no period. Imperforate hymens are often diagnosed in newborn babies, but if not you might not notice a problem until you get your first period. If you have an imperforate hymen you will not have a normal period because the hymen is blocking the blood from coming out of the vagina. You will still have menstrual cramps, though, so if you have abdominal pain every month but no period you should get checked. You might also have other symptoms like back pain, difficulty urinating, or constipation. Some girls will be able to feel a hard mass in the lower abdomen below the belly button, which is the menstrual blood stuck in the uterus.

Talk to your doctor if you haven't gotten your period by age 14 to 16. Girls get their first period at a younger age now than girls used to in the past. The average age for first periods in the United States, for example, is 12 to 13 years old. Guidelines recommend seeing a gynecologist if you have not gotten your first period by age 14 1/2 to 16 1/2 African-American girls often mature faster and get their periods a year earlier, whereas Caucasian girls tend toward the older end of that range.

Talk to your doctor if you grow breasts and body hair but don't get your period. Other than going by age, you can watch for signs that your body is changing with puberty. Two big things that indicate puberty are needing your first real bra and getting armpit and/or pubic hair. At this point you will probably start your period within 3 to 6 months if you haven’t already. If you don’t get your period within two years of these changes, see your doctor. A "real" bra means one with a cup size attached to it, like 34B, as opposed to small, medium, or large.

Visit your doctor if sexual intercourse is painful or impossible. There are a number of reasons this could be, but one of them is an imperforate hymen.

Have a pelvic exam to get diagnosed. During a pelvic exam, your doctor will have you lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet in supports called stirrups. The doctor will assess your vagina by looking and feeling. If it looks like you have an imperforate hymen, your doctor might do a test called a pelvic ultrasound to make sure there aren't any other problems causing your symptoms. Ultrasounds don’t hurt, it’s similar to how we look at babies in the womb!

Getting Treated Medically

Have an easy surgery to fix the problem. An imperforate hymen can be repaired with a minor surgery, and you can go home on the same day. Your surgeon will cut a very small hole in your hymen to replicate the regular opening for the vagina, and he or she will take out any old period blood that has been stuck in the uterus. It’s a safe and easy procedure and girls recover from the surgery within a few days.

Use a dilator after the surgery if your doctor tells you to. Your doctor might put a small ring in the opening so that it doesn't close up after surgery. If not, dilators are used to keep the incision open after the procedure. A dilator is a small tampon-like object that you place in the vagina for about 15 minutes every day while you're recovering.

Expect some drainage. Don’t be surprised to see some more dark, thick, old blood coming out of your vagina for several days to a week after the procedure. This is normal and safe. You might also have mild cramps during this time.

Take over-the-counter medicine for discomfort during recovery. You can take Ibuprofen, Aspirin or Aleve for cramping. You doctor might also give you a jelly with pain-relieving lidocaine in it. You can apply this lightly to the area of your vagina if you’re sore, and a few minutes before you have to pee. It’s okay to take a bath while recovering. It might feel soothing and will help keep the area clean. Use a hair dryer on the cool setting to dry the sore area and avoid the scratchiness of a towel. After surgery, your doctor may also prescribe a topical estrogen cream for you to use to help the area heal and prevent scar tissue from forming.

Schedule a doctor visit one to two weeks after the surgery. At this visit your healthcare provider will check the area for signs of inflammation or infection. He or she can also answer any questions you have.

Call your doctor immediately if you have severe pain or fever. Fever, bad pain that isn’t helped by medicine, and pus are signs of infection, and you should seek care immediately.

Call your doctor right away if the new hole in the hymen seems to be closing. You might know this if the dilator will not go in or it hurts a lot when you try.

Coping with Your Condition

Be stress-free about the future! Once your imperforate hymen has been surgically repaired there should be no long term problems. Your vagina will function normally, you will have normal periods and be able to use tampons, and you will be able to have sexual intercourse. Having a history of an imperforate hymen will not make it harder to have children in the future.

Don't be embarrassed. Having a hymen doesn't mean someone is a "virgin." Some girls are born without a hymen. Yes, the hymen can stretch or tear during sex, but this can also happen when using tampons, during sports, or during some medical procedures. Don’t feel like having the surgery takes away your virginity or changes who you are.

Discuss cultural concerns with your doctor. While procedures that make only a small cut in the hymen to “preserve virginity” may exist, the opening often closes up again causing unnecessary pain and the need to repeat the procedure. Cultural views about virginity and how the hymen should look should be discussed with your doctor, but should not stop you from getting the appropriate surgery.

Talk to your loved ones. It might feel difficult to discuss sex with your partner if you're in an intimate relationship, but it will help to let him or her know that the pain and trouble you're having with sex is normal for your condition and can be fixed. Talking to friends and family can help relieve stress about the condition or the surgery. You can always ask loved ones to go to the doctor with you to better understand your condition. Remember that having an imperforate hymen wasn't caused by anything you did or your mom did during pregnancy. It just happens, and isn't that uncommon!

Write, blog, or chat with others online. Since there are lots of young ladies out there with the same condition, it might help to read about their experience or share your own.