The genital tract develops during embryogenesis, from the third week of gestation to the second trimester, and the hymen is formed following the vagina. At week seven, the urorectal septum forms and separates the See more

The hymen is often attributed important cultural significance in certain communities because of its association with a woman's virginity. In those cultures, an intact hymen is highly valued at … See more

Due to similar reproductive system development, many mammals have hymens, including chimpanzees, elephants See more

Normal variations of the hymen range from thin and stretchy to thick and somewhat rigid. An imperforate hymen occurs in 1-2 out of 1,000 infants. … See more

Historically, it was believed that first sexual intercourse was necessarily traumatic to the hymen and always resulted in the hymen being … See more

In the 16th and 17th centuries, medical researchers mistakenly saw the presence or absence of the hymen as founding evidence of physical diseases such as "womb-fury", i.e., See more

• Artificial hymen See more