Fused Vagina

The most common form of vaginal obstruction in little girls is fusion of the labia minora as a result of labial adhesions. It is also called a fused vagina.

Dr. Greene’s Answer:

By far the most common form of vaginal obstruction in little girls is fusion of the labia minora as a result of labial adhesions. This can also be referred to as a fused vagina, though it is not actually the vagina that’s closed, but the labia. These are typically diagnosed in girls from 6 months to 6 years of age. In fact, it is thought that somewhere between 1 and 10 % of little girls develop this condition! (Williams Gynecology 2008)

Causes of a Fused Vagina

Diaper rash, infections, irritants, or mechanical trauma commonly cause chronic inflammation of the labia. Occasionally the inflammation is the result of chronic sexual abuse.

Whatever the cause, as the labia try to heal, fibrous tissue adheres the labia to each other. Some girls are prone to forming adhesions no matter how careful the parents are. The adhesions result in a smooth membrane over the vulvar opening with a thin, pale line at the center. This surface membrane usually starts forming at the rear of the opening, and ‘zippers’ closed toward the front. Usually, a sufficient opening at the front remains to permit urine and vaginal secretions to exit.

The adhesions will often resolve spontaneously when girls are out of diapers or pull-ups both day and night. Your doctor is right that when labial adhesions persist, the estrogen surge at puberty will correct the problem. If there are no complications, such as infections or obstruction, the adhesions do not need to be treated.

Treatment of Fused Vagina

If treatment is needed, the natural process can be accelerated with the application of topical estrogen. If the problem is truly labial adhesions, this should readily open the labia.

As you have discovered, when the estrogen is stopped, the labia frequently re-fuse, since the tender labia can form new adhesions even more easily than before. To prevent this, apply a lubricant such as KY jelly, petroleum jelly, or A & D ointment to the labia every night for 2 -3 months. Most of the time this will be sufficient to break the cycle. Be sure to remove any irritants (such as bubble baths), treat any infections (such as yeast), heal any diaper rash, and teach good genital hygiene (wipe from front to back).

If you do use estrogen cream like Premarin, you should be aware that some girls will have other transient estrogen effects, including increased breast tissue and hyperpigmentation of the labia and/or nipples. These resolve when the estrogen applications stop. Stopping the estrogen also sometimes causes a brief ‘mini-period,’ or vaginal bleeding. The bleeding is self-limited, and not a cause for concern. Interestingly, most normal girl infants transiently have some degree of precisely these symptoms shortly after birth. Although it has never been studied, I suspect that those who later form labial adhesions don’t have these findings. Perhaps those prone to forming labial adhesions have mildly lower levels of estrogen than average.

Throughout their course, the adhesions should be followed by your pediatrician. If they do not respond to the therapy outlined above, or if they were truly present at birth, further evaluation is indicated to look for other, far less common, abnormalities of the genitourinary system.

What Not to Do

Never attempt to separate the labia forcefully. This is painful and traumatic. Moreover it usually results in even worse adhesions than before.

In the office, I often see girls with labial adhesions. Almost none of the parents has heard of this condition. It’s not frequently talked about in parenting circles. Rest assured though, that labial adhesions are common, rarely uncomfortable, easily treatable, and will usually resolve even without treatment. Even though the condition looks worrisome, it need not be a cause for concern.

Dr. Greene is a practicing physician, author, national and international TEDx speaker, and global health advocate. He is a graduate of Princeton University and University of California San Francisco.

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  1. Anonymous

    Dear Doctor,
    I am 17 years old and always couldn`t get a tampon in and am still a virgin. A week ago i took a mirror and looked for my vaginal hole, but there kind of is none. There are two small wholes (like q-tip wide), where the whole should be.
    I am very scared to tell anyone.
    What could the medical help look like? Hopefully not just surgery.
    Please help me

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  2. Mimi Lathan

    Dear Doctor,
    I am not a child. I am in my eighties and am worried that my vagina is
    going to close to the point that I may have to have surgery. I would like to know if there is anything I can insert to avoid that. Also, I began having cystitis about two years ago. I wasn’t too worried until it became chronic. My urologist examined me and could only get one finger.
    I had four children within six years. This eventually led to repair at Duke University. Debris was left in my bladder which resulted in open bladder surgery a few months later.
    I understand that many women my age has this problem but I don’t believe I should have surgery at this time (or later) due to other health problems
    Any information you care to give me I will certainly appreciate.
    Kind regards,
    Mimi L.

    Added:
    • Lenni Doyel

      Has your doctor mentioned vaginal dialators? You can buy them on amazon for about $30 and have them shipped to your home. The basic idea is to start with a very small size that fits in your vagina and stretch it over time (many days or weeks or month?) by moving to a larger size when the small size fits comfortably. If it works, it sure beats surgery.

      Gyn doctors do recommend these, but I have no idea if there would be a problem for you so you should ask before trying it.

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  3. samuel hayford

    my daughter is 20 months old and having this labia fusion ,just part of the vagina is closed and my doctor is saying I should use estrogen cream for her but am scared of the side effect can someone help me think straight thank waiting for your comments .

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  4. vicki

    My niece has fused labia she is 7 years old. Her testosterone is 9 and she has a few strings of hair on each side of the fused labia. Should we be concerned? Why is this?

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  5. Michelle

    My 4 year old has had a vagina adhesion since birth. Her pediatrician has forcibly opened it several times using a numbing creams… only to have it come back again and again. My daughter is becoming traumatized by this. She is supposed to apply an ointment every night to the area but often doesn’t get it in the right spot and now it is zippered up again. I’m not sure what to do as I’m guessing my pediatrician is going to want to “rip it open” again. I fear this is going Have a continued negative effect and in the end it will still zipper back up. She. Ties and cries if I try and apply the cream and no longer even wants to do it herself. I’m really at the end of my rope.

    Added:
    • Michelle,

      I”m so sorry your daughter is going through this. How traumatic — for both of you!

      As Dr. Greene says, “Never attempt to separate the labia forcefully. This is painful and traumatic. Moreover, it usually results in even worse adhesions than before.” It sounds like you’ve gone down that path and the adhesions are worse than they would have been otherwise. In my opinion, you could try printing out this article and sending it to your pediatrician. She might be open to changing her approach. If she’s not, do you want to keep doing something that’s not working and may be making the situation worse? Or is it time to get another opinion from a different doctor?

      Again, so sorry for both your pain.

      Best, @MsGreene
      Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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    • N

      I am just looking this up because I have had problems all of my life. The one and only thing that sticks out is the pediatrician forcefully doing this. It still makes me cringe. I can never forget it. I am nearly 40. Try to find another solution.

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    • Mohammad Shahidul

      My 4 year old has had a vagina adhesion since birth

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    • Angela

      Hello, I’m a latecomer to this conversation. I had a fused labia when I was a baby, and I’m 53 years old now. My mom is no longer alive but she definitely told me that a doctor told her to pull mine apart. She said I would “scream bloody murder”. I am working through this in therapy now.
      Back in the early 1970s, would it have been at all possible that a doctor told my mom to do that?
      thanks for your thoughts,
      Angela

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  6. Tierney

    One of my 7 month old Twins is having an Adhesion issue. Her labia minora is adhering to the labia majora…. From what i’m reading this too may not be uncommon, however I am not able to find any information about this in particular. I discovered it while changing her diaper & as I wiped her I noticed a very small amount of blood. I feel awful & Im scared I could hurt her if the labia rips or tears away from each other. I also worry that because she is completely open down there she could easily get an infection. She has a bit of a rash and I’m wondering if the adhesion of the inner to the outer labia is related to this. I am calling the pedi in the morning but in the meantime does anyone have any experience with this type of labial fusion????

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  7. Carolina

    I had this problem when I was 2. We didn’t know about it until I went to climb in a shallow swimming pool and started screaming. My mom thought I cut/scraped myself on the edge of the pool so she treated it as such. Then I went to urinate and began screaming again and my urine stream was so very small and mostly blood. I ended up having surgery to open it as it was closed so far as to obstruct my urine stream.
    I would like to note that as a young girl, I always had a discharge, much like a yeast infection. Although no doctor could find a valid reason for it.
    I also started getting urinary tract infections after puberty. I am 36 now and get them almost every 3 months. They are so severe that I literally only have about one hour after first symptom before I am peeing straight blood with chunks.
    Also, I have had endometriosis since I started menstruating at age 13. I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 20 because I was put on birth control at age 15 to control excessive cramps. I was told they didn’t know why it worked, but it was like a miracle drug… and it was. Until I stopped taking it and within a week, I couldn’t walk without severe, “shoot me in the head to make it stop” kind of pain. Turns out, the endometriosis did not stop growing, but the horomones kept the endometrial tissue malleable so I didn’t feel the pain. When I stopped taking the birth control and took away the hormones, the tissue stiffened up and the result nearly killed me. After surgery I found out I had an adhesion from my uterus to my lower intestine that, upon stiffening, began ripping apart when I’d take a step with my left leg. I am also struggling with infertility.
    I say all of this because the only person I have ever met that had the same surgery for labial adhesion as a child, also has severe endometriosis and is infertile. I don’t know if there is a correlation, but I seriously doubt it has ever been studied. Endometriosis in only recently being taken seriously and pointed out publicly. It’ll probably be another 20 years before they look at labial adhesions to be a possible precursor. They’ve barely even started associating urinary and bowel issues with endometriosis… at least in the United States. Researching articles and pages outside the U.S. has given me the only information I’ve obtained on this subject. It is also the only place I have found specialists who can successfully operate in all three regions. Here, I’d have to have a gyno, a urologist, and an internist remove endometriosis from each spot.
    The point is, if your child has labial adhesions, PLEASE keep an accurate record of any and all future issues. Someday, your daughter may live a better quality of life because you chose to do so. And please, offer the information for clinical purposes so maybe girls and women in our future may not suffer as I have, as well as many other women. Thank you.

    Added:
    • Carolina,

      Thank you so much for sharing this valuable information. I am immensely sorry for you pain — physical and emotional.

      I totally agree that it is important for parents to track their children’s health conditions. There are undoubtedly connections that haven’t been made … yet.

      Best, @MsGreene
      Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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  8. Diane

    From the ages of 3 to 5 my pediatrician and my mother would frequently manually separate my labia by quickly ripping the fused labia apart. They would tell me that it was my fault and if i didn’t touch myself they wouldn’t have to do this on a regular basis. This was very traumatic and has had a profound impact on my life. I have body memories of the pain and difficulty with intimacy as an adult. It is not ok to manually separate labial adhesions.
    I always had memories of the pain and the guilt associated with being told it was my fault. It wasn’t until my daughter had labial adhesions and her pediatrician had such a strong reaction to my suggesting that her labia be manually separated that i realized how wrong my mother and pediatrician were to do what they did to me on a regular basis for 2 years.
    Reading this thread and article is helpful in affirming that what happened to me was wrong and hurtful.

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  9. Tray

    My 2and a half year old twin granddaughters have opposing problems one has a sealed and the other one can’t stop poking and making herself sore . They both wipe themselves after peeing is there any advice to help my grandaughter stop trying to poke things in without been too harsh as she can even make herself so sore going to loo is uncomfortable they are always in pants but at every opportunity she has her hands down there x

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  10. Louisiana

    My daughter was born with labial adhesion, bit the pediatrician stated to keep an eye on it and if it got worse we would address the issue. My daughter is now 2 and just this week doesn’t want her privates wipes during diaper changes. I checked her tonight before bed and the vaginal opening is now completely open. Is that possible? Or is she being wiped too vigorously? What can cause this sudden change? Also, I feel it is tender because she doesn’t want to be wiped there.

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  11. ashley

    so dont have the surgery my daughter is three the cream is not working it makes her very crabby and sensitive her doctor suggested the surgery but im scared what should i do

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    • Jeanne

      My daughter had labial adhesions among other things as a baby. Creams did not work so we went with the surgery. No problems since and she is 28 now! Go with the surgery. Its not complicated. However, her adhesions were surgically opened then sutured open. She has chronuc kidney disease so it was imperative as a baby for them to stay open to not allow for urine to sit until she was old enough to have corrective surgery for her kidneys.

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  12. Fernanda

    My daughter had her 15 month check up yesterday and her doctor saw that she had this and ripped it apart and now she is in pain and won’t let me even change her diaper!!! She is terrified seriously and the thing is that I haven’t really been explained about what it is or what is going on and I’m just literally nervous!!!

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    • Jeanne

      You’re doctor is an IDIOT! Do not bring her back there. My daughter’s pediatrician did the exact same thing. The urologist told me that doing that was the same thing as spliting open a half heald wound. It will also make the adhesions worse. If you have to, go to a urologist and they will help your daughter…poor thing! Just dont let anyone tell you that the practice of tearing it open is ok. Idiots!

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      • Alvina

        I agree it would be very Terrible that poor baby girl! It makes me sick just thinking about it! I would probably ask that doctor if she wanted me to do this to HER !!!! Just always remember what my teacher told me in collage just because he or she is a doctor doesn’t mean he or she was an A student!!! So always question the doctor if you are not sure of what they are doing!

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  13. Doris Fleming

    My 3 1/2 yr old just discovered that she has this. However the cream cost $240. And that is after our insurance. Is there any other way to treat this? She is very bothered by it. She is always scratching herself down there.

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    • CW

      We were able to find a compounding pharmacy to make the cream at a MUCH cheaper price. $75 no insurance.

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      • Doris

        Which pharmacy? Thank you

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  14. Farida

    It is such a huge relief seeing that fused labia is not an uncommon thing.

    I just found my 30month old daughter with it this morning. As a doctor,I was over the top worried.

    Surgery?
    What if she is a boy?
    Any other malformations anywhere?
    What else had I missed? Etc.

    I have booked an appointment with the gynae and he has reassured me it is not worrisome.

    It is still traumatic but reassuring to hear that.

    Added:
    • Hi Farida,
      I’m so glad you found the article helpful and that your gynecologist has reassured you as well.
      Wishing you all the best!
      Alexandra (caring helper at drgreene.com, not a doctor)

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  15. Angie

    My daughter is 4 years old and her Dr. just diagnosed her with having this issue. It was never an issue when she was younger so we decided to treat it with the estrogen cream. The problem is getting her to let us apply it. It is a hard fought battle (this is only the 2nd day now) of kicking, twisting, blocking with her hands. I’m worried if we are even getting it on the right spot because she won’t hold still. She has been out of diapers completely for a year now. Any suggestions on how to make the process less traumatizing for her?

    Added:
    • Angie,

      As Dr. Greene says in the article above, if it’s not causing problems it can be fine not to treat. If treatment is indicated it’s often easier to to administer when a child is engrossed in a video.

      I hope that helps.
      Best, @MsGreene
      Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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  16. Busisiwe

    I am glad that i found this information in time.I just found out that my 5 year old daughter
    ‘s vagina is closed,but she can pee.I took her to the doctor but she was just as amazed as me,because she said this can only happen at birth.She even told me about operation and that for me was not an option because i know the pain,I couldn’t let my baby go through that.So now I am relieved because i know that she is not abnormal.At least I am now calm,i will wait until it correct itself naturally.

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  17. Marlene

    Hello, I’m 40 years old and was born with my labia closed, my mother was given the cream to apply, Is it possible that the estrogen cream may have caused my clitoris to shrink?

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  18. Hasan

    Hi, I have same problem with My daughter is 5 months old. I’m living in a valley b/w Himalayas & required 4 to 5 hours journey towards city for a appointment of a doctor. Kindly advice.

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    • Hasan,

      How difficult to make a 5 hour journey to see a doctor.

      Some times a fused vagina or labial adhesions resolve without treatment, but there is a chance that it is a far less common, abnormality of the genitourinary system. A doctor should be able to tell you which it is and provide treatment.

      If it is a fused vagina, whatever you do, never attempt to separate the labia forcefully or allow a doctor to do so. This is painful and traumatic. Moreover it usually results in even worse adhesions than before.

      If it is a different abnormality, ask the doctor to discuss what he or she is going to do before treatment.

      Best,
      @MsGreene

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  19. Pat

    I need help my 1 year grand daughter has the labia problem to and doctor told my daughter in-law to use Vaseline to keep it open. I have been applying the Vaseline every day and for some reason it is closing. Does anyone know why? It was open yesterday and now it’s almost closed. I don’t know what else to do cause I thought Vaseline would help keep it open. What am I doing wrong? I take care of my granddaughter every day and routine on daily basis is to make sure I put the Vaseline. It’s still closing. Is that normal?

    Added:
    • Hi Pat,

      Dr. Greene says, “The natural process can be accelerated with the application of topical estrogen. If the problem is truly labial adhesions, this should readily open the labia.” This is different from Vaseline. You can only get it from you doctor.

      I hope this is helpful.
      @MsGreene

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  20. Angela

    My daughter is having the opposite issue. In the beginning it was the vagina trying to close on its own, But now we are facing the issue of where the inner and outter labia are fusing together. Before when it started we were told to just clean the area and kind of pull. I can tell my daughter is discomforted. She’s almost three now and one side is fused so much that you can’t tell where the labia and The fatty tissue area start/end. Is this fixable? I thought we were done with this issue when they were separated but now that she is potty trained it wasn’t something I looked at since I help her wipe. It hasn’t even crossed my mind until she told me it hurt today and I went to help her clean and there one side is gone and the other close to it.

    Added:
    • Jeanne

      Angela, best option would be to see a Pediatric Urologist if you haven’t already done so.

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  21. Trish

    My friend’s granddaughter has had this problem for a long time. She’s 9 now. My friend got concerned because after her daughter’s (the kids’ mother’s) death, their father wasn’t taking them to doctor’s appointments. Her granddaughter asked her to check her vaginal area, and she was completely closed up. Two weeks later, she took her granddaughter to the ER because of her concern for her health. At that time, merely two weeks later, her vaginal area was almost halfway open and red. At the time, my friend was just relieved that she was opening up, and she and the doctor figured her hormones were taking care of things. Then, a few weeks later, her granddaughter opened up and told her that she’s been being molested by another man who lives in the home. She hasn’t come out and said there’s been penetration, but now my friend is very concerned about that. So is it normal for a child who has had no medicinal cream for a few months to suddenly go from almost completely closed to halfway open, and is it common for the area to be red and irritated?

    Added:
    • Trish,

      I can not comment on the medical possibility of spontaneous opening of a fused vagina (I am not a doctor, but I moderate these comments and couldn’t let this one go without responding). But if this 9 year old girl is reporting that she is being molested, it’s time to take action. She should be taken to her doctor, or an ER, where she will have a physical exam. If the opening of the fused vagina is normal, they will be able to tell her grandmother. At the same time, she will get the protection she needs.

      Please don’t delay.
      @MsGreene

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  22. A.Nettles

    My grand daughter is 5 now it’s been going on since she was a few months old ,I was curious if there is anything else besides the estrogen salve ,her Dr. Prescribes premarian

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  23. Marc

    Hello Dr. Greene,

    Our daughters labia is sealed except for a small opening. A pediatrician first suggested to us to open it a little after each bath by gently prying apart. Another pediatrician suggested estrogen cream but after he noticed that my insurance doesn’t cover it, he then prescribed a hydrocortisone cream. Is that safe or recommended, you didn’t mention hydrocortisone as a treatment. He said we’d be using it “off label”.

    Thanks.
    Marc

    Added:
    • Kait

      My doctor prescribed the same thing today. You should be greatful because hydracortisone should really be presecribed before estrogen cream since estrogen has side effects like breasts on the baby.

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    • Aja

      Do not pry it apart, no matter how gently!!! My pediatrician did this this to me regularly and it was extremely painful…just like the burning, tearing feeling of the perineum when delivering a baby. I never made a sound so he didnt know it hurt. But it was very traumatic.

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  24. Casey Clify

    Dr. GREEN,

    My oldest daughter had this issue when she was 4 years of age. We took her to a specialist at Cardinal Glennon in St. Louis, Missouri.

    Although not one of our town doctors heard of this. When at Cardinal Glennon the doctor told its they have seen this over & over and it is usually blue eyed/blond hair.

    But, they discovered my daughter was constipated ( even though the majority of her stool look normal to me. The constipation blocks of the uriter and backs up …this caused many b urininary Tracy infections.

    If it closes completely, the urine backs up into the kidneys as it did my daughter. She has scar tissue to the day and has kidney issues with the scared kidney.

    We took all binding foods away from her and this is a difficult chore since other family members had to give up these same foods. Cheeses, apple sauce, bannanas, peanut butter and so on and we replaced her diet with high fiber foods.

    Doctor added to get diet, fresh apple, was told applesauce gardens because it has been cooked. A cup of popcorn every night and teaspoon of mineral oil nightly, etc…

    It bothers my precious granddaughter for us to held on our hips. Mom’s should know this that holding her this way could cause it to rip it open and you don’t want that.

    We applied the premerian cream twice a day, we did exercises they told us to do..(hold her feet with your hands and act as though she is riding a bike. She also stated on a prophylactic drug for 6 months.

    She would have a urinary infection monthly. Our town doctor was continually giving us a med that the infection was resistant to. That was a very terrible thing to find out for 6 months she is taking a drug that was only taking the edge off.

    In the days with the cream, the Labia fusion was completely open. It happened again add it was time too re-ENTER those foods slowly into her diet. We never had the issue again.

    It’s important for parents to understand their child could have great. Consistency, then one little hard stool..that one little hard stool can cause big issues.

    Now my daughter has a 15 month old going through the fusion. Yes, she is blond hair , blue eyed also. No infections yet. I just think after

    Added:
    • Jeanne

      Im no doctor here but your story sounds exactly like my daughters situation. She had labial adhesions but there was much more to the urine backing up to her kidneys” situation. In my daughters case, she also had urine backing up. However, it was not due to the labial adhesions, it was due to a structural issue of the tubes that enter the kidneys. Since this is an older post Im hoping someone has referred your granddaughter to a pediatric urologist by now. If your granddaughters kidney has scar tissue, it has shrunk which is ckd. There is corrective surgery for this (reflux) issue. Its important to see a specialist at this early age. Good luck! My daughter is 28 now and ckd is still only at stage 1. Thankfully.

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  25. Mercy

    my daughter who is 6 is also having fused labia and we did d opening when she was 4 and it fused back again and I haven’t heard of premarin crème before am not even sure if its in my country Nigeria don’t know what to do anymore will it open on its own at puberty even after surgery or should I go back for another surgical opening I will appreciate comments pls.

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  26. Jess R.

    To parents of little girls with condition : I myself had this issue when I was born after finding the right medication to work, It corrected the issue. Today I am a completely and fully functioning and heathly 32 yr. Old mother of 1 . I have no abnormalities, issues or problems as a result of having a fused vagina when I was a child

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    • Lynnsmommy

      And what was the correct medication and at what age did you treat this?

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    • Sskot

      Yes what treatment worked for you?

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  27. Dorothy

    My cousin had this, but her parents didn’t realize there was a problem, they thought it was just a birth defect and believed there was nothing more to do. As she got older and more doctors were available she was now able to have surgery to open it but by then she was at the age of 14-15. Once they opened it, her backed menstrual cycles were able to be released, because her menstrual cycle had been kept inside it destroyed her uterus and had to be removed. She is now 40 she can’t have children and just had surgery in order to reconstruct her vagina in order to have penetration during sex. My advice is to take your daughter to the doctor to prevent this and additional problems from happening.

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    • Ras

      How much was the surgery?

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  28. prodip biswas

    My baby 11month her vagina hole closed I used estrogen but failed the open this

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  29. Jennifer

    My daughter is a month shy of being 7. We have been using the premerian cream since she was 6mo old when I brought it to her PCP’s attention. The cream is very pricy with my insurance and I have to use it about every 2-3mo and use A&D in between. Is there any way that Drs can test children’s estrogen levels to see if they are low and truly the root cause of this occuring? My fear is with the continued years of use of estrogen cream and a significant female area cancers that run in my family (to as young as 5) does this set the bar higher for my daughter? Her PCP now doesn’t even want to prescribe the cream because she has little breasts that are defined and hair growth in her vaginal area.

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  30. Amanda

    I just noticed my 5 year old daughter vagina fused shut her hole is size of number 2pencil lead should I take her to er

    Added:
    • I’m not a doctor, but I am a mom. I think you do need to take your daughter to see her pediatrician, but this is not a weekend ER visit issue. I think you can wait until Monday and get an appointment with her doctor.

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  31. bharti, surendra

    My daughter is now 2 years old. As i saw since birth her vagina was visible. now it is not. Only urethra is visible. I am very tensified. I consulted the gynecologist last month. She said that this problem is since birth and it may be seen after her menstrual cycle time come. What can i do.

    Added:
    • A.Nettles

      One lady already posted on here about a family member waiting for the child to be 13 or 14 and we’ll now she’s 40 can’t have kids had to have surgery to take her uterus taken out

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  32. Caitlyn

    My daughter is 9 months old next week. Tonight, whilst changing her, I noticed that she wasn’t open. That seemed odd considering I would remember if that was the case when she was born. Off to the internet! I am so thoroughly relieved to find that this is not uncommon and can be from a bad diaper rash (she had a nasty one before we switched to cloth diapers that took about 2 months to heal). She doesn’t seem to be exhibiting any of the other symptoms that would show cause for concern, but I’m still going to mention it to her doctor next week. With the stipulation that I’ve heard it can and does often resolve itself. Thank you for this information, you’ve eased a new, young mom’s heart.

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    • renuka

      same here

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  33. Angel Blood

    around 6 months old my daughter’s vagina closed and I wasn’t really sure if this was normal, since she is my only daughter but I wanted to see if I could open it before I started to panic, now she didn’t cry or looked like it bothered her after I did that but I did get it opened put cream on it and it never closed since…. about a month later my daughter got really sick and they needed to put a catheter in her and for some reason they could not find her “pee hole” after two doctors was looking at her they finally spotted it, and I’m not sure what they did since I was up by her face trying to calm her down. trying so hard not to cry because my daughter was so dehydrated she nearly died. I’m not sure what they did but it looked like they had to re-open her “pee hole” like that was closing. My daughter’s three and she’s just now getting the hang of being potty trained but now I notice something odd. When she pees her pee goes up over the toilet and the rest goes all over her upper legs. So remembering what I said before I wanted to make sure everything was fine and now I look at her and I cant see her pee hole and there is a white line coming from the top of her vagina and coming down stopping at the top of her clitorus and her clitorus looks like its also getting covered now I’m not sure what a three year olds vagina look likes and this time it bothered her like it was hurting her and I didn’t even do nothing I was just looking. I’m not sure what I should do or if it will just get better on its own…. I don’t want to put her in any pain if I don’t have to so please let me know if what would be best for her. My daughter is Autistic, ADHD, and has a server speech and language delay, and now she might be Anemic, and now her vagina could close……

    Added:
    • thinkingoutsidethebox

      It has been a few months since you posted. I hope you got everything figured out and she is doing better. I know it’s a very scary situation for the both of you to be going through. You are not alone in your struggles. Hugs from a mom who understands. ASD x 3.

      Added:
    • KayD

      Hello, my daughter is also autistic and she was born with adhesions. She is now almost 8 years old and they are just now starting to bother her and seal up NEAR her pee hole almost like a zipper. Now we are on premarin cream to prevent that from happening because you can’t allow it to cover her hole or she is going to have host of other issues as well. I was always told that once she reaches puberty and starts making her own estrogen it will open completely and on its own. Of course you wait until puberty to pee so if you consult the doctor I’m sure she will prescribe premarin. Also, the last thing I would suggest is to try to physically open it yourself because the last thing either one of you wants is to have to deal with closures caused by scabs and sores. Hope this helps.

      Added:
      • To be clear, I am assuming you are warning against ever ripping open the adhesions. I agree, this is not a good solution.

        Best,
        @MsGreene
        Co-founder and Executive Producer, DrGreene.com

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  34. Patricia

    Hello, My daughter was born with a fused Vagina. Her pediatrician prescribed premarin cream for her, we applied it as instructed and stopped when she told us everything looked fine. We have since moved and my daughter is rarely ill. She is now 10 and has started puberty. I took her to a family doctor because she has been cramping for 5 months and not started her cycle. The doctor did not check her even after I told the doctor of her condition at birth, she just said that her body is gearing up toward the point of her starting her cycle.

    Well this month from April to May (2weeks) cramping has varied from mild to very painful. My concern is that she may be closed again or something much worse, but the doctor would not listen. You see family history is that my mother got breast cancer which was aggravated/accelerated by premarin (taking it because of early hysterectomy). I only remember cramping one month and then started but was age of 13. I also had ovarian cysts as well as endometriosis. Should I seek a second opinion for my daughter?

    Added:
    • If you are not comfortable with the care you have received from your family doctor, you have two options 1) Discuss it with your family doctor and ask for a more thorough exam and / or tests 2) Get a second opinion. I suppose there is a third option, which is to wait and see if her daughter’s symptoms clear up or get worse. But you should never hesitate to question your doctor or seek a second opinion.

      As a mother, if you feel something deserves more attention, it deserves more attention. If you push your doctor or get a second opinion and in the end it turns out your family doctor was right, every one wins. In the end if it turns out your family doctor was wrong to wait and see when your daughter needed treatment, she wins. Either way, it’s good for her.

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      • A.Nettles

        Sorry, my grand daughter is only 5 years old and when she told me that she was hurting down there I looked ,only because it’s been going on since birth as a parent I wouldn’t care how old my child was if the Dr.didn’t check it out best believe that I will be doing the checking my self

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  35. Kristeen

    Hi. My daughter is 14 months and she was born with a fused vagina. I am extremely concerned. I was induced and they kept me on pitocin for 24 hours after giving birth and while I was breast feeding. I later found out that is not what they are supposed to do. I’m worried that has something to do with my daughter’s hormonal issues now. Has anyone else heard of that?

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  36. Diana

    Hi, when i took my one year old daughter to Dr check up, he informed that she has a closed vagina.
    he told me to try doing some massage to that area, but i am scared of doing so, and exposing her to massage pressure (even if it is not really big pressure).
    When i was searching online for any medications for this, I read about “Premarin Cream”, i am also scared of using it because of the side effects & I also read it is not good for kids.
    Please let me know what shall i do, and whether her body will solve this by its own when she grows up.
    i am really worried about my daughter.

    Added:
    • Tiffany

      Hi. I had this when I was a baby, and the cream worked for me with some side effects. But they weren’t serious.

      I started my period at age 12. I’m not sure if it was because of the cream, but they were very irregular.

      I wouldn’t suggest the “massaging”. I doubt that alone really does anything without the cream.

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  37. Jennifer

    My daughter is now 7 and was born with a fully closed vagina and we have tried the estrogen cream on and off since she was a few months old and it opened up but always reclosed after using.

    We have also been through several surgeries to have it open and also the Drs have literally ripped it open and have told me to do the same…. I cannot do that to my daughter or let anyone else do it again! She’s been through enough pain with this.

    I also put Vaseline on her almost daily and still doesn’t help! She has been out of diapers and pull-ups since she was 2. Is there anything else I can do for my daughter? I feel helpless and she is embarrassed by the fact that pee drips out in her underwear and she can’t change them as often at school like she can at home.

    What else can I do to help my daughter? I have another appointment scheduled for next month with her urologist but in fear that they will want to rip it open again.

    Added:
    • Lisette

      Have you tried pads?

      Added:
  38. atiya

    This article is very very useful. I was so worried as nurses in the hospital terrified me that if I don’t go for surgry there will be so much problems for my baby girl. Surgry of a 18 mnth baby — oh, it’s too painful. But as I read that there is no worry in the case of fused vagina, I’m much relaxd. Thanks again.

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  39. sudha

    I just noticed that my baby has no vaginal opening and she is now 11 months old. Is this thing common on babies? What should I do about this? Please help.

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  40. Lil' Mrs.Mafia

    I just started premarin tonight. My baby just turned 1 and has no opening in her vagina. She’s only 1 and shouldn’t have to go through this.

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  41. Maureen

    Whenever i sex with my boyfriend i almost get pain..and we discovered that i have lack labia minora..why do i lack?what are the treatment and what are effect of lacking it during giving birth am scared

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  42. Vicki Pertillar

    My 10 year child is still having this issue. We have tried this topical cream many times. It will open then close again. She has gained 20 pounds since the fisrt of the year and, now she is having problems with her vision.

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  43. disqus_gWWVjEOFqk

    jad my daughters dr tried that and now she is horrified of drs. BOTH my daughters had this problem and it didnt start at birth….unfortunately .after a huge story they were talking about together was over heard and many issues and horrible things found out later i figured out what likely was the reasoning behind this. my children never had diaper rashes were never left in wet or dirty diapers and my youngest daughter was potty trained before the age of 2 . my now 7 year olds has finally fixed and is normal now. she fell on or swing when she was 4 and she cried saying it hurt her there and after looking i saw it had broken open and i had her put vasaline on is day and night for about a month and it never closed again. my now almost 5 year old still has hers and i t looks much worse than my other daughters did and im now having her put vasaline on it daily in hopes it will get it to fix itself. im hoping it fixes on its own that cream burned them badly and they were horrified of having it again so i refused to ever have them put that on them again. i just hope my youngest finally gets to normal ive heard surgery is needed if it doesnt change after puberty hits and can you imagine how awful that would be

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  44. Ruth Costa

    You address the vagina fusion in little girls, can you tell me anything about it occurring in senior females.

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  45. T Pearce

    Very helpful article…thank you! I have a quick question. My 19 month old daughter has a fused labia and we just finished 4 weeks of applying the estrogen cream daily about two weeks ago. I noticed she now has tiny hairs on her vagina. She used to have tiny white fuzz, but these are like short, light brown hairs. Could this be a result of the estrogen cream? I’m really worried the cream is messing with her hormones. I would appreciate any feedback you can give. Thank you!

    Added:
    • Guilt

      Yes. I noticed pubic hair growing on my daughter at four. I trusted my doctor but she let me down. No doctor should prescribe estrogen for adhesions unless the kid can’t pee. If she can pee do not use this cream! Now Ill always be worried about my daughter getting cancer in the future as cancer is the main side effect to women. I learned that too late and she already had it off and on for two years. I hope to God it doesn’t happen. My younger daughter has an adhesion too but I will never put premarin on her and she is doing just fine without it. No problem. Wish I would have known this with my first daughter. Don’t put so much trust in your doctors like I did! Thats a huge mistake! Do your research.

      Added:
  46. hafsa

    pls upload a picture of estrogen vaginal cream for children. I have the same problem with my little 2.5 year old daughter

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  47. Honey Dew

    My three yesr old was diagnosed eiyj fused vsgina since last august. My husband and I sought medical help and was adviced to use premarin once daily. I have noticed that my daughter vagina now has a very small opening and am feeling relieved. However, we live in one of the remote islands in the caribbean and I would like to seek further medical treatment overseas. Can someone please recommend a good urologist or pedatrican? Thanks.

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  48. Julie

    Thank you for this informative and reassuring article. My 6 month old daughter recently developed this condition. I am quite sure she was not born with it, although she did not have a mini-period at birth. Our Paed prescribed Premarin, but we are reluctant to give her hormones at such a young age. I get migraines with aura so cannot take any hormones or HRT. Do you know of any long-term effects that conjugated oestrogens could have on her later in life? Should we be concerned that she may have low levels of oestrogen? And lastly, do you know why Premarin was discontinued in the UK ?

    Added:
  49. Alan Greene

    Michelle, as long as there are no urinary or infection problems, I typically don’t consider doing anything medical until the child has been out of diapers / pull-ups both day and night for about 3 months. Most of the time the ‘problem’ will go away on its own by then.

    Even then, this will usually resolve on its own by the puberty hormone surge, so there is no rush to do anything if the child is otherwise developing normally and everyone is comfortable.

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  50. Amanda Hoffman

    Can Premarin cause hives/rash? My 3 year old is has developed a rash on legs and it now moved up to face.

    Added:
    • Alan Greene

      Yes, Amanda, it is possible for the cream to cause hives / rash / itching.

      Added:
  51. Alan Greene

    Casey, I’m glad you are having this checked out with her paediatrician, but I hope the article was at least a little reassuring in the meantime. As you read, this happens often in little girls – and the good news is that for the great majority of them it never causes a problem, and gets better on its own without treatment.

    Added:
  52. JAD, Some very gentle traction during diaper changes should be fine — and may even help — but the goal would be to try to trigger her body to dissolve the adhesion sooner, not to try to separate the adhesion yourself, which could lead to more adhesions.

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  53. JAD

    My pediatrician diagnosed my four month old with fused labia and advised that I gently pull the surrounding skin each time I change her diaper. Everything I’m reading says not to try to separate the adhesion. Was I given bad advice?

    Added:

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