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Original poster

Some interesting facts about the vagina...

213 replies

ResistanceIsNecessary · 26/06/2018 12:56

Inspired by this thread on twitter which had some good vagina info. It's amazing how many people know so little about the female anatomy so here are some more interesting facts!

  • The walls are very elastic to allow it to stretch and then shrink back again after vaginal childbirth delivery. It does not require manual dilation to keep it open or maintain its shape, unless as a result of side effects from other medical procedures (such as some female-occurring cancer treatments).
  • It is self-cleaning and has a naturally acidic environment until the time around ovulation, when the PH changes to make it more accommodating for sperm, to promote fertilisation. It does not require daily artificial cleaning products or lubricant to keep it healthy.
  • The walls of the vagina (the vaginal vault) are made up of two layers of muscle tissue, which allow for expansion and contraction - which can often be felt as 'ridges', which lessen with age or post- vaginal delivery childbirth. The walls contain no glands.

Feel free to add your own facts Smile

OP posts:
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6
MnerXX · 26/06/2018 20:14
Grin
NaturalBornWoman · 26/06/2018 19:59

What an amazing thread. Vaginas rock. Women are the best.

spontaneousgiventime · 26/06/2018 19:47

When our first child was born. My DH looked at me and said "fuck me, how does something that small stretch that wide"? Dunno how he thought the baby would come out if it didn't Grin

TheChampagneGalop · 26/06/2018 19:39

I can't help but to think that Hildegard must've meant for it to look like a vulva...I dig the big star placed where the clit should be!

Oh and here you can enjoy some pretty vulvalicious dancing goddess gifs, including a Sheela na gig
blog.ninapaley.com/2018/01/01/24-free-goddess-gifs/

boldlygoingsomewhere · 26/06/2018 19:19

Hildegard’s image is probably a vesica piscis. Common in Christian art. But yes, it’s very suggestive in shape. Smile

Love the image of the clitoris - so beautiful!

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 26/06/2018 19:17

It's slightly off topic, but this thread reminded me of a really interesting piece I read on why women seem to have much heavier periods than the "normal" 3-5 taps

rubycup.com/blog/how-much-blood-during-period-scientific-research/

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 26/06/2018 19:12

I didn't know about the pouch of Douglas until MN. Now that I am more enlightened I know that if I ever lose any smallish objects, I should check there first...

Namethecat · 26/06/2018 19:10

With age the clitoris can shrink ! Shocker.

TheChampagneGalop · 26/06/2018 19:10

Speaking of church art. Check out Hildegard von Bingen's "The Universe"Grin

Some interesting facts about the vagina...
loveyouradvice · 26/06/2018 19:10

I've never seen The Vagina Monologues and longed to... some day I will

loveyouradvice · 26/06/2018 19:09

Gorgeous gorgeous thread.... I love how my vagina changes through its cycle ... self-lubricating and self-cleaning yes, but so much more with smell and texture indicating when fertility arrives.....

..... and who else when young tentatively dipped a fingertip in their menstrual blood to taste, at Germaine Greer's urging ... natural and nothing to be ashamed of, a truly feminist and liberating step

TransplantsArePlants · 26/06/2018 19:07

I read The Hite Report on female sexuality when I was 19. Thank you Shere Hite.

TransplantsArePlants · 26/06/2018 19:06

I am often struck when things in the natural world resemble a vulva: knots on tree trunks, petals

Mortallie · 26/06/2018 19:06

Although the Pouch of Douglas isn't strictly a part of the Vagina, this random piece of anatomy contains up to 3ml of fluid during the menstrual cycle, and between 3-5ml after ovulation.

MyVisionsComeFromSoup · 26/06/2018 19:02

Im ashamed that I had no idea what the clitoris looked like until quite recently (I'm 47) Blush. Just incredible really.

AdoraBell · 26/06/2018 19:01

Fascinating what nature designs. I don’t know what my teenaged DDs know about their own bodies because if I start a convo they squirm and tell me to shut up.

They will tell me anything and everything though, so we do talk.

noraclavicle · 26/06/2018 18:59

Sheela na gigs are awesome! As are our vaginas, cervixes and wombs - things of wonder. All those years listening to the PJ Harvey song & I never knew what it referred to. Saw my first Sheela na gig in a Hertfordshire church recently. Someone at hacked at her at some point over the centuries. Not a woman I dare say Hmm

user838383 · 26/06/2018 18:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DickTERFin · 26/06/2018 18:50

Oh yes, I love me a Sheila ne gig. I’d have one over the front door if I could.

Have you ever noticed how vulval church windows and doors are. Almost like you are walking into a womb (that’s what I always think whenever I go into one, anyways).

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 26/06/2018 18:46

What I found mind blowing (though it is really obvious) but I'd never thought about before is that there is an unbroken line of my mother - grandmother - great grandmother - great great etc all birthing each other back to the evolution of humans. (And yet somehow the matriarchal line is seen as lesser)

hungryhippie · 26/06/2018 18:44

I love this thread! Women's bodies really are amazing.
When trying to conceive I learnt so much I didn't know about the cervix, cervical mucus etc. It's fascinating really.

quackaday · 26/06/2018 18:43

@ResistanceIsNecessary and @pombear

That part of our potential grandaughters and grandsons are there, already, in our own wombs, whilst we're growing our own children.

Wow I have never thought if it like this before. My mum passed away before I had my children so to think of it like this - that actually she physically grew part of them for me whilst I grew inside her, is AMAZING 🤯🤯🤯 (and that I have done the same for any potential grandchildren I might have). Wowsers.

Original poster
ResistanceIsNecessary · 26/06/2018 18:38

That part of our potential grandaughters and grandsons are there, already, in our own wombs, whilst we're growing our own children.

I've never thought of it that way before. It's really awe-inspiring.

OP posts:
WeirdScenesInsideTheGoldmine · 26/06/2018 18:36

@itsallgoingtobefine

Yes, it annoyed me somewhat. My husband says it’s actually scabbard, he did classics so I believe him but this is why I prefer cunt or quim although the latter is v twee

IlPorcupinoNilSodomyEst · 26/06/2018 18:34

Resistance when I was expecting DD, we had our 20 week scan a bit late and asked to know the sex. The sonographer said it's a girl and I asked 'are you sure, I know it can be a bit indistinct sometimes'. She said 'well, I'm looking at the eggs in her ovaries, so I'm pretty sure!'.