Teenage girls are being directed to a new online reference tool that helps them check if their vulva looks normal. Available on the sexual health charity Brook website , the resource gives visual examples and advice on how female genitals change in puberty. The health experts who designed it say they hope it will give body confidence and discourage girls from wanting "designer vagina" cosmetic surgery. These operations should not be performed on girls under the age of Why I wanted vagina surgery as a teenager. Most cosmetic vulval surgery - labiaplasty to reshape or shorten the vaginal lips or labia - is performed by private medical practitioners and can cost thousands of pounds. Occasionally, an operation may be carried out on the NHS if the vaginal lips are abnormal or are causing the woman distress or harming her health.
Also of Interest
How we care for vaginal agenesis
In the United States, vaginal infections are one of the most common reasons women see their doctor, accounting for millions of visits each year. Vaginal infections are caused by microorganisms, but women can take precautions, such as wearing loose, absorbent underwear, to reduce their risk of getting infections. Doctors examine a sample of fluids from the vagina or cervix to check for microorganisms that can cause infections. Bacterial vaginosis Bacterial Vaginosis BV Bacterial vaginosis is a vaginal infection that occurs when the balance of bacteria in the vagina is altered. Women who have a sexually transmitted disease, who have several sex partners, or
Vaginal birth: your options
During pregnancy, a baby's reproductive system may not finish developing in the mother's uterus. She may be born without a vagina and have other absent reproductive organs. This condition is called vaginal agenesis.
In , the Australian Institute of Family Studies AIFS was engaged by the Department of Social Services to review what the available research evidence tells us about the impact exposure to and consumption of online pornography has on children and young people. The increasing availability of pornography online has raised concerns about the impacts it may have on children and young people's:. The purpose of this project was not to duplicate the considerable work undertaken by other researchers working on these issues e. To varying degrees, the international contexts listed here share some similarities with Australia, such as political and legislative systems. However, the implications of the research are not fully transferable. The term "pornography" is typically used across the academic and public policy literature as well as in popular and news media to describe sexually explicit material that is generally intended to sexually arouse the audience Flood, This can be a useful shorthand; however, it is important to note that there is not a singular type of pornography. There is diversity in the form pornography takes e.