Vagina Outline

Vagina Outline
Medically Reviewed by Carol DerSarkissian, MD on June 28, 2020
© 2015 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
The vagina is an elastic, muscular canal with a soft, flexible lining that provides lubrication and sensation. The vagina connects the uterus to the outside world. The vulva and labia form the entrance, and the cervix of the uterus protrudes into the vagina, forming the interior end.
The vagina receives the penis during sexual intercourse and also serves as a conduit for menstrual flow from the uterus. During childbirth , the baby passes through the vagina (birth canal).
The hymen is a thin membrane of tissue that surrounds and narrows the vaginal opening. It may be torn or ruptured by sexual activity or by exercise.
CDC: "Trichomoniasis - CDC Fact Sheet" and "Bacterial Vaginosis - CDC Fact Sheet."
WebMD Medical Reference: "What's Normal, the First Time?"
WebMD Blog: "Can a Vagina Be Too Big?"
WebMD Medical Reference from eMedicineHealth: "Vaginal Prolapse."
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Brandi Jones MSN-Ed, RN-BC is a board-certified registered nurse who owns Brandi Jones LLC, where she writes health and wellness blogs, articles, and education. She lives with her husband and springer spaniel and enjoys camping and tapping into her creativity in her downtime.
Lauren Schlanger, MD, is a board-certified primary care physician with a focus on women's and transgender health.

Female anatomy refers to the internal and external structures of the reproductive and urinary systems. Reproductive anatomy aids with sexual pleasure, getting pregnant , and breastfeeding a baby. The urinary system helps rid the body of toxins through urination (peeing).

Some people are born with internal or external structures that are ambiguous or characteristic of both male and female anatomy. The following female anatomy chart is a reference based on typical location.

The word “female” is used here to refer to people who identify as female and have typical reproductive organs of a cisgender female. We recognize that some people who identify as female do not have the same anatomy as that depicted in this article.

Female genitalia consist of organs that are both inside and outside the body. This section will describe the internal and external structures.

This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.

External female genitalia include the structures outside the vaginal opening. Collectively they are referred to as the vulva . These include: 1

"Labia" is the Latin word for lips, and the labia majora is often referred to as the outer lips. 2

Internal female genitalia include the structures inside the vaginal opening. These include: 1

While direct contact with the cervix rarely occurs during intercourse, some women claim it helps with sexual pleasure. Others say it causes discomfort.

The breast contains multiple structures within it, including: 7

Estrogen and progesterone are the primary female hormones produced by the reproductive system. Hormone production increases at puberty to stimulate ovulation, giving a woman the ability to conceive a child. Female hormones also promote vaginal lubrication and increase sexual desire.

Female anatomy is designed for both intimacy and conceiving a baby. Structures such as the vulva, vagina, and breasts are sensitive to touch, stimulating arousal. The clitoris includes sensitive nerve endings, and its sole purpose is for sexual pleasure.

Sexual intimacy that leads to intercourse is usually the first step in getting pregnant. However, some do so through in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI).

During ovulation , an ovary releases an egg that travels through the fallopian tubes to the uterus. During penile-vaginal intercourse, semen is released into the vagina. Sperm from the semen swim toward the egg to join with it in the uterus or fallopian tubes.

Conception , or fertilization, occurs when the sperm and egg join, creating a zygote that develops into an embryo. Fertilization can happen hours or days after sexual intercourse.

When the egg is not fertilized and a female doesn’t get pregnant, the uterine lining sheds, causing a menstrual cycle, or period. Most females have a cycle every 28–31 days. However, it varies depending on when they ovulate.

Female anatomy is intricate, and its structures have many functions, including urination, sexual arousal, and the conception of a baby.

The vulva, the external structures outside the vaginal opening, includes the:

Internal female anatomy includes the following:

The breasts are included in female anatomy and serve a unique function in sexual stimulation and in breastfeeding a baby.

Female anatomy can seem highly complex. Understanding it helps those with this anatomy to prepare for changes during puberty, adulthood, pregnancy, and menopause (when a woman stops having menstrual cycles for 12 straight months).

It’s important to note that some babies are born with ambiguous structures, meaning they do not resemble typical female or male anatomy. Others are born with internal or external organs or genitalia of both males and females.

If there is no significant impact on the person, they can continue being their uniquely perfect self. When it impacts someone’s daily life, mental, emotional, or sexual health, their healthcare team may make treatment recommendations.

Urine collects in the bladder, passes through the urethra, and leaves the body at the urethral opening.
Females no longer ovulate or have their menstrual cycle during pregnancy . At times there is minor bleeding that can be mistaken for a period. The uterus expands, and the cervix thickens. Many notice changes in their breasts, such as tenderness, fullness, or heaviness. The areola and nipples may also change and become darker.
There is a lot of speculation about whether a woman’s erotic G-spot is an actual structure or a sensitive area in the vagina. For most, to find it, you or your partner can insert a finger, palm up, a few inches into the vagina. Curl your finger in a “come here” motion to see if that stimulates it. 9
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Lee M, Dalpiaz A, Schwamb R, Miao Y, Waltzer W, Khan A. Clinical pathology of Bartholin’s glands: A review of the literature . Curr Urol . 2015;8(1):22-25. doi:10.1159/000365683
Rodriguez F, Camacho A, Bordes S, Gardner B, Levin R, Tubbs R. Female ejaculation: An update on anatomy, history, and controversies. Clinical Anatomy . 2020;34(1):103-107. doi:10.1002/ca.23654
Associated Medical Schools of New York. Skene’s glands .
Mishori R, Ferdowsian H, Naimer K, Volpellier M, McHale T. The little tissue that couldn’t – dispelling myths about the Hymen’s role in determining sexual history and assault. Reprod Health . 2019;16(1). doi:10.1186/s12978-019-0731-8
Johns Hopkins Medicine. Anatomy of the breasts .
Kothari C, Diorio C, Durocher F. The importance of breast adipose tissue in breast cancer . Int J Mol Sci . 2020;21(16):5760. doi:10.3390/ijms21165760
Puppo V, Gruenwald I. Does the G-spot exist? A review of the current literature . Int Urogynecol J. 2012 Dec;23(12):1665-9. doi: 10.1007/s00192-012-1831-y.
Boston University School of Medicine. Female Genital Anatomy .
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Published: 18:54 BST, 7 April 2017 | Updated: 22:35 BST, 7 April 2017
Contrary to popular belief, most vaginas aren't neat little packages with all the pieces perfectly tucked in.
Rather, vaginas all look quite different. However, according to a former bikini waxer who goes only by Mel to protect the identity of her clients, there are five different overall vagina shapes that she has seen in her career.
While these types aren't scientific or 'a mathematic algorithm', Mel told Elite Daily : 'This is just to help women understand this weird "secret" [the appearance of our vaginas] we keep from our friends and society at large is not as scandalous or peculiar as we may have thought.'
Neat little package: A former bikini waxer said she has divided vaginas into five shapes, including the tidy Ms. Barbie
Type two: Illustrated by Kylah Benes , they also include the Ms. Puff, which is like the Ms. Barbie but longer
Her shape names are not the actual vagina, which is the whole, but rather the outside appearance — most of which has something to do with the labia majora (the outer lips) and the labia minora (the inner lips).
The most uncommon shape is what Mel calls the Ms. Barbie, in which the labia minora are totally contained within the labia magora. The waxer noted that this is what most people think of when they picture a vagina, but it is not what most vaginas look like.
Similar to the Ms. Barbie is the Ms. Puffs. The labia minora are still contained within the labia majora, but the lips of the vagina sit lower on the the pubic pone and are 'either full and puffed up or thin and loose'.
Contrary to popular belief, the way the lips hang has little to do with the age or weight of a woman.
Most common: She most frequently saw women with this shape, in which the labia minora peek out the bottom
Bodies: In this shape, the labia minora peek out the top and the labia magora meet at the bottom
The Ms. Curtains look, Mel said, is her name for when the labia minora extend past the labia majora, sticking out either a little bit or a lot. This is actually the most common shape.
Women with the Ms. Horseshoe have a vagina that opens wider at the top but closes at the bottom, with the shape of a horseshoe.
Finally, the Ms. Tulip looks like a tulip about to bloom, with the labia minora slightly exposed up and down the labia majora.
The expert: She named this the final type, in which the labia minora are contained but exposed up and down the vagina
'Moral of the story is that every vagina is different, but it shares a sisterhood with all other vaginas, and nobody should feel strange or abnormal,' Mel said.
'Just because you haven't met your sister vagina yet, doesn’t mean she isn’t out there.
She concluded humorously: 'Your vagina is perfect. It's just like a curtain. You wouldn't hate your house if it had ugly curtains.'
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