PSA: This Is How Your Hymen Actually Works

PSA: This Is How Your Hymen Actually Works Rapper T.I. said that he takes his 18-year-old daughter to the gynecologist annually to check that her hymen is "still intact." T.I.'s comments have sparked conversation about the construct of virginity and the role the hymen plays in "proving" whether or not a woman has had sex. But the truth is that most people's beliefs about hymens are totally unfounded. "The hymen is a small ragged membrane that covers part of the vaginal opening," says ob-gyn, Michael Cackovic, M.D. It's made of tissue from mucous membrane remnants that develop during the embryologic process. "It's often incorrectly thought of as anatomic proof of virginity when in fact its true purpose isn't known," Cackovic says. Many people picture the hymen as a type of wall or structure waiting to be broken. In reality, the hymen has an opening to allow menstrual blood and other secretions to leave the body. Because every human body is unique, some hymens have one opening while others may have many. Only 0.05% of hymens are imperforate, or completely sealed. Some people are even born without a hymen. So, using it to measure "virginity" doesn't really make sense, does it?