Fifteen Facts about Your Vagina

Out of sight; out of mind. That’s how it is with the vagina. As long as it’s working and isn’t causing a fuss (which, granted, becomes more iffy at this stage of the game), we forget about it.

Nothing wrong with that.

But, ladies, your vagina is a marvelous thing, so in the interest of a little community ed on this underappreciated organ, here are some fun and quirky facts—maybe things you didn't know—about your vagina.

1. The word vagina comes from the Latin word for “sheath” or “scabbard.” Those Latin lovers were all about their swords. The word orgasm originated with the Sanskrit word for “strength.”
2. The hymen is named after, um, Hymen, the Greek goddess of marriage. It’s a membrane that partially covers the vaginal opening before puberty to protect it until normal changes during puberty. It’s broken with a girl’s first sexual penetration, and the attendant show of blood is the traditional “proof” of her virginity.
3. As you might imagine, the vagina has accumulated many colorful names over the centuries. A few of the, ahem, more decorous are: camel toe, honeypot, cock pocket, vajayjay, meat wallet, muff, bearded clam, fish taco, crotch mackerel, hot pocket, bikini biscuit, panty hamster, yum yum, twat, hoo ha, and, of course, pussy and cunt. Enough already!
4. The vagina proper begins at the mouth of the vulva and ends at the cervix, which is that bottlestopper at the base of the uterus. So the vagina is the conduit—the “potential space,” the empty sock without a foot in it—that leads from outside the body to the small opening in the cervix that allows sperm to pass through.
5. While the vagina is only 3-4 inches long, it balloons to 200 percent its normal size (to accommodate those Latin swords as well as babies of various sizes). This impressive ballooning effect happens because the vagina is pleated like a skirt with a bunch of folds, called rugae, which expand when extra space is needed.
6. We talked about the normal variations in the way your outer genitalia may look, but for the most part, vaginas all look the same.
7. Like your oven, your vagina is self-cleaning. So, for heaven’s sake, don’t douche. You’ll upset the delicate balance of good bacteria that live in there. Wash your external genitals with warm water and some gentle, unscented soap.
8. Your vagina has its own unique odor, which is determined by your diet, the normal variation in bacteria, sweat, and hygiene.
9. Your pubic hair isn’t just an annoying decoration. In days of yore, it was a “reproductive billboard” announcing that over yonder was a fertile female. It also traps your scent, leading suitors to the honey pot. Times have changed since caveman days, and a healthy mat of hair may not be quite so irresistible today. Pubic hair has a life expectancy of only three weeks versus head hair, which stays put for about seven years.
10. The normal pH balance in your vagina is slightly acidic, similar to wine or tomatoes. That normal balance can get out of whack if you have an infection, douche, or through exposure to semen, which is more alkaline.
11. Sex keeps your vagina moist and flexible, especially after estrogen levels drop. “Safe vaginal intercourse can help keep the vagina healthy and dilated,” says Dr. Courtney Leigh Barnes, a gynecologist at the University of Missouri in this article.
12. Vaginal farts (also called queefs or varts) happen to every female at one time or another, especially during sex or exercise. So don’t be embarrassed.
13. Gravity is as hard on your vagina as it is on your breasts, face, and buttocks. It sags, and sometimes, it falls out. This is called a prolapse. While it may be uncomfortable, it’s usually painless and can be fixed.
14. Most women (about 70 percent) don’t orgasm through vaginal stimulation alone, but through a combination of clitoral and G-spot action.
15. The first two inches in the vagina have the most nerve endings and are the most sensitive.