50% of Women Don’t Know How Many “Holes” They Have in Their Private Areas! A survey investigating public understanding of female genital anatomy has revealed that less than half of people (50%) can identify how many “holes” a woman has in her private areas.
Researchers at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, England, wanted to investigate public understanding of anatomy, and specifically pelvic organ prolapse. This was motivated by concerns that patients with pelvic organ prolapse might not understand their condition due to misconceptions about the healthy anatomical structures of the female genital organs. Without this information, they might be unable to make informed decisions about treatment with their healthcare providers.
As part of the study, published in the International Journal of Urogynecology , anonymous surveys were distributed to men and women in general outpatient clinics (OPDs) and specialist urogynecology (UG) clinics (women only). In addition to patients, accompanying friends, family, and caregivers of those attending appointments were also asked to complete the survey.
Participants were asked to answer two questions. In the first section, they were asked, “How many orifices does a woman have in her private parts?” and what they were. In the second section, they were shown a diagram showing seven annotated structures ( labia majora , labia minora , clitoris , urethra, vagina , perineum , anus ) and were asked to label as many of them as possible. They were allowed to use simple language; “pee hole” and “butt hole” were considered acceptable labels and counted as a correct answer.
Only 46% of participants correctly identified that women have three orifices in the lower genital tract. The most frequently mentioned “orifices” were the vagina (67%), followed by the anus (55%), and finally the urethra (35%).
In the labeling portion of the survey, only 9% of participants were able to correctly label all seven structures. The most correctly identified structures were vagina (71%), anus (67%), and labia (49%). The greatest confusion occurred between the urethra and clitoris . Of the 73% who labeled the clitoris, 63% labeled it correctly, while 9% labeled it as urethra. Of the 51% who labeled the urethra, 51% labeled it correctly, while the remaining 49% labeled it as clitoris.
“Different terms were used for the urethra, for example, ‘pee hole,’ and for the anus, ‘butt hole’ and ‘back passage,'” the study said. “However, participants only used the term ‘vagina’ for the vagina, although there were variations in spelling, for example, ‘virgin.'”
The study found no significant difference between men and women in their ability to label structures, but women were more likely than men to label the anus and vagina. A common misconception is that the cervix is the external genital opening.
Education level , age, and ethnicity were among the largest factors in the ability to label female genitalia . Those with higher education levels, older adults, and white people were more likely to be knowledgeable about the general area. The researchers believe these differences may reflect a specific need for better health education in certain communities.
“Efforts to improve health literacy in gynecology may benefit from targeting younger women using accessible, culturally appropriate methods across diverse populations,” the researchers concluded.
“Future research should focus on effective interventions to break down taboos, expand knowledge, and enable women to participate in meaningful shared decision-making with clinicians.”
