A girl who has never had a sexual intercourse is said to be a virgin, and thus her hymen is intact. The hymen is a fleshy, thin membrane, which partially closes the mouth of the vagina. The opening may be of several forms, such as circular, crescentic, etc. There is a small opening in the hymen to let the menstrual flow from the uterus. The hymen is stretched and ruptured by the erect penis during sexual intercourse. This may lead to some discomfort and bleeding.

The Hymen could be ruptured due to various other reasons too:

• Due to activities like bicycling, horse riding, high jump, and hurdles.
• Also due to dancing.
• Masturbation, especially when indulged with a large foreign body like a vibrator.
• An accident or injury, such as falling on a projecting object.
• Due to introduction of instruments by doctors during examination or surgical operation.
• While doing various faulty technique like douching (cleaning) the vagina.

Thus the Hymen could be ruptured not only due to sexual intercourse but also due to various other reasons.