What is the purpose of the hymen?

First, the facts: The hymen is a thin membrane, typically crescent-shaped, that stretches across some or all of the vaginal opening. Besides human females, African elephants have hymens, and, reportedly, so do other mammal lasses from rats to whales. read more

The physiological purpose of the hymen is one of the eternal mysteries of women's bodies. Although it doesn't seem to have a specific function, it's thought that hymen tissue remains as a vestige of vaginal development. Embryologically, it tended to keep germs and dirt out of the vagina. read more

A: Tough question — the hymen befuddles evolutionary biologists to this day. First, the facts: The hymen is a thin membrane, typically crescent-shaped, that stretches across some or all of the vaginal opening. read more

Ever since the painfulness of my own being broken during my first sexual intercourse, I've tried to find this out. Several gynecologists I asked simply shrugged — they never even wondered about such a thing. read more