Is crooked vaginal piping a problem?

January 25, 2007 3:31 PM

GirlFilter: I am crooked... inside. Travelers to my vagina would find themselves taking an abrupt right turn 2 or 3 inches in. Is this normal? Do I have to marry a crooked man?

The angle, as far as I can tell, is about 40 degrees off from the plane that goes up the middle of my body. I don't know how far it goes in that direction, but I think it must be a good distance -- at least long enough for a tampon.

Actually, I discovered this fact of my anatomy when I was figuring out tampons. For a long time, I couldn't get them far enough in to be comfortable. I would hit opposition with an inch or more of applicator still sticking out. One day I was sliding the point of the tampon around, trying to get a better angle, when -- swoosh -- up it went, with very little resistance. I just had to point it to the left (my left, going up toward my head). At a certain point, after I've set the tampon at its new angle and before I've pushed it in, the part of the applicator that is outside is pointing not straight down, but somewhere past my right foot. Before the tampon has taken the turn, I can feel it in there; after I push it up, I can't, so that part of it is working well.

I have always read on tampon instruction packets that the angle will be toward the small of your back, or at least somewhere in the vertical plane. Health class didn't mention scenic routes to the uterus. Google doesn't reveal anything substantive. However, I'm not planning to see a gynocologist, since I'm not terribly worried. All of the machinery that I need at this point in my life is working just fine.

My question is whether any (all?) of you are built this way and, if so, are there any complications with sex or childbirth? Experimentation with the former isn't an option, since I'm planning to wait until I get married. Honestly, I can't imagine how sex would work unless the guy had a kink in just the right place. And how common is that?

I'm in the 18-25 age demographic, if that helps at all.

I've set up an email account if you would rather comment or ask for clarification there: bentoutofshapemefi at gmail dot com

posted by anonymous to health & fitness (28 comments total)

This is something an OB-GYN would likely be able to answer in 5-10 minutes, but we can talk about all day. As an anecdotal point, I do not know any women for whom this is the case. However, the vagina is very elastic, so it's quite possible that something else in your insides are causing this to happen that has nothing to do with your vagina at all.

Keep in mind that depending how you're sitting and how you're configured, the cervix can be a tampon obstacle, though usually it's in the way your instruction packet explained. You can always do a little exploring with your fingers (or with a partner?) it's pretty hard to do any damage as long as your nails are trimmed.
posted by jessamyn at 3:43 PM on January 25, 2007

I absolutely believe it to be something worth asking your OB/GYN about. You should have one at this stage of your life, even if you are not sexually active. Yearly exams save lives. Say that 100 times in every language you know.

If you've ever had a pelvic exam, and the doctor said nothing, then it is probably nothing of consequence. If you've never had a pelvic, the time is now.

I've known (ahem) several girls who had sometimes sudden bends towards their front or back, traveling upwards (towards the navel), but yours would be a first with a side-detour.

I expect it is nothing to worry about, but there is certainly no harm in asking a trained medical professional specializing in women's reproductive organs. :-)

And if you're "embarrassed" or whatever about the GYN, please get over that. You need to have a yearly exam. Please.
posted by Ynoxas at 3:44 PM on January 25, 2007

I know of a girl with a similar, um, anatomy (it's not me, but a friend of a friend). I don't think sex was a problem for her - believe it our not, the various girl organs shift around quite a bit! However, a couple guys got a little freaked out if they were, um, fingering her.

If you're over the age of 18, you should be seeing a gynocologist anyway, no matter how sexually active you are. Talk to him or her about it.
posted by muddgirl at 3:45 PM on January 25, 2007

Man-wise, you're looking at someone with Peyronies Disease. But a crooked wonus doesn't go easily into a crooked vag, tragically. Try it sometime with ... um ... a paperclip and a straw? Something's got to give. Plus, I've known men with the affliction and they say that sex of any sort is very painful. Not necessarily something to shoot for.
posted by wemayfreeze at 3:49 PM on January 25, 2007

Hon, as someone with girly parts, (and without giving TMI), I second the idea that it's the cervix in the way. But, go get checked anyway.
posted by konolia at 4:10 PM on January 25, 2007

"Experimentation with the former isn't an option, since I'm planning to wait until I get married."

You might want to rethink that. Otherwise, you're on a path that has a decent probability of uncomfortable sex (and I've known a guy who gave this as the reason for dumping a girl. He was an ass, but hey, at least she didn't have to marry him to find that out.)
posted by klangklangston at 4:19 PM on January 25, 2007

Women can have an anteverted uterus, a retroverted uterus, or a straight up and down uterus.

Yours is probably not straight up and down, but you're not a freak. Talk to your ob/gyn about it. My ob/gyn said my uterus is slighty anteverted. Everybody is a little different.
posted by whimsicalnymph at 4:26 PM on January 25, 2007

And sex won't be a problem.

Geez this country needs better sex-ed.
posted by whimsicalnymph at 4:28 PM on January 25, 2007

See a doctor. There are lots of reasons for structural abnormalities and some of them are worth fixing sooner rather than later.
posted by judith at 5:51 PM on January 25, 2007

I would see a doc, but I think you have a tipped uterus.
posted by 10ch at 6:23 PM on January 25, 2007

I nth seeing a doctor but it's not a big deal. A doctor will be able to confirm for you that this is not something that will cause problems later in life.

I had been to dozens of exams with several doctors, including one that I loved and patronized for a very long time, and it wasn't until I went to Planned Parenthood for a cervical biopsy a few years back that someone finally told me I have an extremely tilted uterus. I guess my regular doctor didn't think it was a big deal, or had seen so many, that she never felt the need to tell me.

Many men have penises that dangle to the left, or dangle to the right. I don't think you should necessarily look for one of them, but I will tell you that experimenting with positions and postures will help you find what works best for your body and help you have a more fulfilling sex life.
posted by Brittanie at 6:46 PM on January 25, 2007

This isn't normal. The normal variations people are talking about above (anteversion, retroversion) are front-to-back, not left or rightward anglings of the uterus. Also, the uterus sits above the vagina; deviations of the uterus in space shouldn't affect the vagina very much, certainly not enough to angle it 40 degrees to the side.

As judith says, there are a number of reasons why this could be. Some of them are fairly benign; others, like a malignant rectal cancer (just to name one terrifying thing off the top of my head), need urgent medical intervention. The internet will not tell you which it is. Go see a doctor and find out what it is.
posted by ikkyu2 at 6:52 PM on January 25, 2007

Definitely go see a gynecologist. If you're over 18, you need to get tested every single year, no matter what. Cervical cancer doesn't care whether or not you've done the nasty.

As for experimentation, there is PLENTY you can do with a partner even if you are planning to save intercourse for marriage. Have him use his hands, or a sex toy and you can find out all sorts of things about what feels good and how things work out with your unique vagina.

It sounds like this is probably just a totally random structural abnormality (possibly your cervix in the way) that shouldn't affect your ability to have sex or bear children, but just in case there is something else going on, get it checked out NOW. The sooner you see a doctor, the sooner you won't have to worry about it.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 7:47 PM on January 25, 2007

I nth seeing a gynecologist even though everything "is working just fine" and even if you're not planning on becoming sexually active anytime soon. If you're 18 or older, you should be going every year even if everything appears to be normal and healthy.
posted by curie at 8:32 PM on January 25, 2007

On one of many trips to the gyn she told me that I had a"backwards" uterus, which kinda made sense, I have the same tampon insertion probs as the poster. But I have had lots 'o sex and no complaints or problems in that department so far. Don't worry too much about it.
posted by modavis at 8:35 PM on January 25, 2007

i'm not of the "save it till marriage" camp myself- i agree with klangklangston that something so vital to a strong marriage should be tested out beforehand- but as long as you feel that way, maybe you could try and see how your anatomy will accomodate other things, besides tampons.

from what i've heard, erections don't usually want to bend at abrupt 40' sideways angles (although they do curve upwards pretty well when necessary, which might be useful). luckily, there are lots of things that are approximately the size and bendyness of erections, and you have lots of time to practice with insertion techniques to see what goes in and feels nice.

also, i'll join the "go see a gyno" camp. this is a wildly uneducated speculation, but some people have double uteruses- could you have some variant of that which involves a doubled vaginal canal?
posted by twistofrhyme at 8:39 PM on January 25, 2007

If you're over 18, you need to get tested every single year, no matter what. Cervical cancer doesn't care whether or not you've done the nasty.

Wrong, and wrong. Cervical cancer is caused by HPV which is a STD. If the OP is indeed a virgin she does not need a pap smear: there's nothing for it to detect. Furthermore, updated guidelines suggest pap smears by age 21, not eighteen. Depending on the type of Pap test utilized and the test results, cervical cancer screening should be done every one to two years until a woman reaches the age of thirty.

Once a woman reaches age 30, she may begin Pap smear screenings for cervical cancer every two to three years providing she has had at least three consecutive Pap smears with normal results.

Anway, my guess is that the poster is hitting her cervix and/or inserting tampons at the "wrong" angle, not that anything is really wrong with her. If her vagina is indeed crooked, she was probably born that way, but the vagina is stretchy enough that I can't imagine how the crookedness would cause problems during sex.
posted by Violet Hour at 8:46 PM on January 25, 2007

From Violet Hour's link: More than 95% of all cases can be attributed to three types of human papilloma virus (HPV). This implies that ~5% of cases are NOT caused by HPV, so it is still important to be tested even if you haven't been sexually active. If money is an issue, there are lots of free/reduced-fee/sliding-scale clinics that will look after you. Going to the doctor can't hurt, and it could definitely help.
posted by vytae at 8:53 PM on January 25, 2007

Cervical cancer can be caused by HPV, it's true, and thus it's much more likely if you're sexually active (yet another reason to use protection!), but it IS possible to get it if you're still a virgin.

Which is why you should get checked at 18, virgin or not. That's all I meant.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 8:55 PM on January 25, 2007

Which is why you should get checked at 18, virgin or not. That's all I meant.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 8:55 PM PST on January 25 [+]
[!]

I'm sorry, but that's not what the American Cancer Society guidelines are for pap smears (read the second link); in fact, some doctors believe virgins *never* need them.

Infection with the human papillomavirus, or HPV, is an absolute requirement for cervical cancer to develop.

None of this has anything to do with the OP's problem; why do people keep insisting that it does?
posted by Violet Hour at 9:26 PM on January 25, 2007

If it's something that's bugging you, go to the OB-GYN. You can tell them that you don't want a Pap, but just think that there's something wonky with your piping.

(Of course, it might be strange if you've never been, but they've seen it all and will most likely be able to give you an idea of if this is something to worry about or not.)
posted by sperose at 9:57 PM on January 25, 2007

decades ago, i saw on (penthouse forum, i believe it was) a letter from a guy with a dick that bent to the left, and the editor told him he needed to find a girl with a vagina that bent to the right.
in "the godfather", sonny's ex was mystified at her failure to achieve sexual climax with any other man - until she dated a gynecological surgeon who fixed her right up.
you're gonna wait and spring this on some guy on your wedding night? at least...give him a hint, maybe draw him a map, before you turn out the light in your hotel room. "face north, but point west...trust me on this, honey."
posted by bruce at 10:47 PM on January 25, 2007

Violet Hour: Uh... You've been talking to some different doctors than I have. We'll leave it at that.

In any case, the OP should probably visit a gynecologist if she would like to be 100% sure that nothing abnormal is going on with her vagina. The relevance of the PAP smear is that since she's 18-25 and hasn't yet been to a gynecologist (which would have answered the question), she should probably go anyway.

No one is advocating for her to have unnecessary STD testing, or even the actual PAP if she doesn't want it (and I'm sorry, but you will never be able to convince me that cervical cancer only happens in relation to HPV. Cancer can happen anywhere. Not *ALL* cervical cancer cases have any correlation whatsoever to HPV), but there is a great deal of medical literature suggesting that routine PAP smears should begin around 18, 21 at the latest. Still, if she wants definitive answers to her problem, a gynecologist would have them. A gynecologist who many of us, those of us who have been undergoing routine testing and have friends who have had cervical cell abnormalities detected and treated BEFORE they turned cancerous, believe that she should be seeing anyway.

THAT is why it has something to do with the OP's problem.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 12:31 AM on January 26, 2007

In addition to what grapefruitmoon said, the OP definitely needs to see a GYN, and it's the GYN's determination as to whether she needs a PAP, not someone on the internet's. Either way -- no matter what, even if she had no concerns -- she's an adult female and thus needs to see a GYN, just as you see a dentist for checkup whether or not you have cavities. The reproductive organs are a complex system, and not everything that can go wrong with them has to do with sexual activity.

I'm deeply scared by the suggestion that proper attention to physical health is some sort of indicator of sexual immorality, and it's popping up everywhere lately. /derail.

OP, the doctor has to answer this one.
posted by Miko at 7:54 AM on January 26, 2007

Violet Hour: Calm down. There are plenty of other reasons for her to visit the GYN besides possible cervical cancer.

There could be cysts, lesions, or, as pointed out above many times, a uterus problem. A grown woman needs to be regularly examined by a GYN. Period. End of story. Just like grown women of all ages need to be doing, at a minimum, self-exams for breast lumps, no matter if they are sexually active or have had children or have large breasts or small breasts or any other reason. It sucks, but there you have it.

Whenever anyone begins to swear so vociferously against visiting a physician, I begin to suspect a hidden agenda.

The pap is not what is important here. She needs to visit the GYN, perhaps one recommended by female friends or relatives, and have him/her perform a pelvic, and then follow their medical recommendation on whether to get a pap as well or not.

I am not a doctor, I just work with them all day. I know at least one of the posters above (ikkyu2) is a doctor. His suggestion matches everyone else in the thread: go to the doctor.

There is only 1 dissenting voice. I'll leave it at that.

If money is a concern, visit your local health department. Also, in your age bracket, there is a chance you are a college student. The doctor at your school infirmary could also be of assistance at no or little cost.
posted by Ynoxas at 8:17 AM on January 26, 2007

I, umm, veer to the left, like, 25 degrees or so. My OB says it's nothing to worry about, and there's never been any trouble with sex (we're fairly elastic like that). Get it checked out for your own peace of mind though - and regardless of the debate over Pap tests, it's nice to know all the plumbing is working ok.
posted by media_itoku at 2:55 PM on January 26, 2007

By the way (for, y'know, posterity, if nobody's reading this thread anymore) it's possible to get HPV without having sex. There are plenty of forms that aren't STDs.
posted by koeselitz at 4:26 PM on February 14, 2007

Well, sure. HPV could cause a wart on your hand. The strains of HPV that cause visible warts aren't dangerous, though.

From your link:Persistent infection with a subset of about a dozen so-called "high-risk" sexually transmitted HPVs, including types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45 and 51 can lead to[...] cancer of the cervix. HPV infection is a necessary factor in the development of nearly all cases of cervical cancer (Walboomers 1999).

In other words, you can't get cervical cancer from the non-STD type of warts.
posted by Violet Hour at 1:00 PM on February 18, 2007