Health
PT Health Watch: Can menstrual cups break hymen or affect virginity?
As more women consider menstrual cups as an option for managing their periods, questions have emerged about whether using them can affect the hymen or a woman’s virginity.
Some people fear that inserting a menstrual cup could “break” the hymen, cause a woman to lose her virginity or permanently make the vagina “loose”.
Speaking with PT Health Watch, Elizabeth Adewale, a Certified Holistic Sex Educator and Public Health Professional, said many of these concerns stem from misconceptions about the hymen and what it means medically to be a virgin.
Hymen changes
According to Ms Adewale, inserting a menstrual cup can stretch the hymen and, in some cases, may cause a small tear, but “this does not mean that a woman has lost her virginity.”
She explained that the hymen is a thin, elastic fold of tissue around the vaginal opening that varies in shape, thickness and elasticity from woman to woman.
“If it were a seal, menstrual blood and normal vaginal discharge wouldn’t be able to come out,” she said.
Ms Adewale said the hymen can also change for reasons unrelated to sexual intercourse, including physical activities such as cycling, gymnastics and other exercise. She added that some women may have very little hymenal tissue, while in others it may be difficult to see.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG) also explains that the hymen is a thin membrane that partially covers the entrance to the vagina and can be stretched or torn through tampon use, sports activities or medical procedures. It also says the presence or absence of the hymen does not indicate “virginity”.
Virginity marker
Ms Adewale said the belief that every woman is born with a hymen that remains intact until her first sexual experience is incorrect.
“The hymen is not a virginity marker,” she said.
She explained that the hymen does not simply disappear after sexual intercourse and can still be present afterwards, although its appearance may have changed.
According to the expert, this means that looking at a woman’s hymen cannot establish whether she has had sex.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says there is no scientific or clinical examination that can prove whether a woman or girl has had vaginal intercourse. It also states that the appearance of the hymen cannot prove whether someone has had sexual intercourse or is sexually active.
Vaginal elasticity
Another concern is that inserting a menstrual cup could permanently stretch the vagina and make it “loose”.
Ms Adewale said there is no medical basis for this belief.
“The vagina is an elastic, muscular canal,” she said, noting that it can relax, expand and contract depending on what is happening.
She said inserting or removing a menstrual cup does not permanently stretch the vagina.
“Your vagina isn’t going to suddenly become a wide-open hole because you’ve used a menstrual cup,” she said.
However, Ms Adewale noted that vaginal insertion can be painful or difficult for some women.
She explained that women with vaginismus, for instance, may experience involuntary tightening of the vaginal or pelvic floor muscles, making the insertion of a menstrual cup, tampon, finger or penis painful or difficult.
“It’s not because their vagina is too small,” she said.
According to ACOG, vaginismus is an involuntary tightening of the muscles at the opening of the vagina that can make penetration painful or difficult.
Using menstral cup
For women who choose to try a menstrual cup, Ms Adewale advised first-time users not to rush the process.
READ ALSO: Group calls for reusable pads as menstrual stigma, access gaps persist
She recommended relaxing before insertion, washing the hands and cleaning the cup properly, finding a comfortable position and following the manufacturer’s instructions on how to fold and insert the cup.
A woman can squat, sit on the toilet or stand with one leg raised on a stool, she said, adding that taking slow, deep breaths can also help.
“Once you’ve successfully inserted it, allow it to open properly and create a seal, but don’t force it. If you experience significant pain, stop, don’t have to force it,” she said.
She added that first-time users may need time to become comfortable with the process and understand what works best for them.
Ms Adewale said the choice of menstrual product is personal and women should not feel pressured to use a menstrual cup if it does not work for them.
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Women in northern Nigeria continue to bear a disproportionate burden of maternal deaths, with the Northwest and Northeast geopolitical zones accounting for about three-quarters of reported fatalities in health facilities, according to the 2026 Joint Annual Review (JAR) Statistical Book.
The report also highlights significant disparities in maternal health outcomes between rural and urban areas, with rural women recording a maternal mortality ratio of 656 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with 444 deaths per 100,000 live births in urban areas.
Produced by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the report reviews the third year of implementation of the Health Sector Strategic Blueprint. It was presented at the third Nigeria Health Sector Joint Annual Review in Abuja on 10 November.
The findings highlight persistent inequalities in maternal healthcare access and outcomes, despite a reported decline in maternal deaths across health facilities nationally.
According to the report, Nigeria recorded thousands of maternal deaths in health facilities between January and September 2026, although the figures represent only deaths captured by the facility reporting system.
The ministry acknowledged that the figures could be underreported or overreported but described the data as reliable for monitoring trends in the health sector.
Maternal mortality remains high
Maternal mortality refers to the death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth or within 42 days of the termination of pregnancy from causes related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management.
Most maternal deaths are preventable through timely access to quality antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, emergency obstetric services and appropriate postnatal care.
Despite the reported improvements, Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio remains a major public health concern.
The JAR Statistical Book puts the country’s maternal mortality ratio at 572 deaths per 100,000 live births, significantly above the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.
The burden is particularly concerning given Nigeria’s contribution to global maternal deaths.
In its 2023 report, titled “Improving Maternal and Newborn Health and Survival and Reducing Stillbirths: Progress Report 2023”, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that Nigeria recorded 82,000 maternal deaths, 181,000 stillbirths and 277,000 neonatal deaths in 2020.
The combined 540,000 deaths accounted for 12 per cent of global maternal, stillbirth and neonatal deaths, despite Nigeria contributing only six per cent of global live births.
The report ranked Nigeria second after India among countries with the highest combined burden of maternal deaths, stillbirths and neonatal deaths.
Reported maternal deaths decline
The JAR data indicate a downward trend in facility-reported maternal deaths over the review period.
The country recorded 5,391 maternal deaths in health facilities in 2024, compared with 4,455 in 2025.
The figure declined further in 2026, although the exact total requires confirmation against the final statistical table. The quarterly data also indicate improvements.
Following a peak in the second quarter of 2024, maternal deaths and the maternal mortality ratio generally declined. By the third quarter of 2026, the maternal mortality ratio had fallen to 128 deaths per 100,000 live births, representing a reduction of about 46 per cent from the earlier peak.
Maternal deaths during the same period also declined by approximately 40 per cent to 947.
However, these improvements have not been evenly distributed across the country.
Northern states bear the burden
According to the report, maternal deaths over the past three years were heavily concentrated in the Northwest and Northeast geopolitical zones.
By 2026, the two zones together accounted for approximately three-quarters of all documented maternal deaths in health facilities.
The five northern states with the highest maternal mortality burden were Kano, Borno, Jigawa, Yobe and Katsina.
While the national figures showed a downward trend, maternal deaths reportedly increased across the two northern zones, contrasting with reductions recorded in southern parts of the country.
ALSO READ: Faith leaders urged to confront beliefs, family decisions driving maternal deaths in Kano
In most southern states, fewer than 50 maternal deaths were reported. The states with the lowest recorded numbers included Osun (four deaths), Abia (five), Enugu (eight), Ekiti (nine), and Bayelsa (nine).
Maternal morbidity
Beyond deaths, the report also highlights the burden of maternal morbidity, including complications that can have lasting effects on women’s health, wellbeing and livelihoods. In 2026, approximately 3,060 women were diagnosed with vesicovaginal fistula (VVF), compared with 4,350 in 2025.
VVF is an abnormal opening between the bladder and vagina that can result in continuous, involuntary leakage of urine, often following prolonged or obstructed labour.
Of the women diagnosed in 2026, 1,737 underwent surgical repair, representing 56.8 per cent of those diagnosed. This was lower than in 2025, when 2,564 women (59 per cent) underwent repairs.
The Northwest and Northeast again recorded the highest burden, with 1,420 and 982 cases, respectively, in 2026. The figures underscore the need to strengthen access to emergency obstetric care, timely referrals and surgical treatment, particularly in underserved communities.
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
The woman who tested positive for Ebola in Nigeria and was evacuated to Switzerland for treatment has been discharged from hospital after making a full recovery.
She was discharged from Geneva University Hospitals on Wednesday, after medical personnel confirmed her recovery, Reuters reported on Thursday, quoting a statement from the hospital.
“After the medical team confirmed her full recovery, the cantonal physician authorised the patient being treated for Ebola virus disease to leave the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) on 11 November 2026,” the hospital said.
The Uganda-born woman and her husband, a Swiss diplomat, were evacuated from Nigeria to Switzerland on 26 October. Her evacuation was confirmed by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate.
The patient had returned to Abuja from Uganda on 3 October. She developed symptoms days later and was admitted to a private health facility before the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) was notified. Laboratory tests confirmed the infection on 20 October.
Nigeria continues Ebola surveillance
The NCDC’s latest Ebola situation dashboard, updated on 12 November with data as of 11 November, lists one confirmed case, no deaths and seven negative cases.
It also shows that 62 contacts linked to the confirmed case have been identified. Of these, 52 have completed their mandatory 21-day follow-up, while 10 remain under monitoring.
The NCDC said its response includes contact tracing, investigation of reported alerts, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control measures, and surveillance at the country’s points of entry.
On 11 November, NCDC disclosed that Nigeria recorded no additional confirmed Ebola cases since the imported infection was confirmed.
The agency has urged healthcare workers to remain vigilant, ask patients about their travel and exposure histories, and promptly report suspected cases to public health authorities.
READ ALSO: Ebola: Nigeria records no new cases 21 days after imported infection – NCDC
Regional outbreak continues
The situation in Nigeria is part of a wider outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease affecting parts of Africa.
In its latest situation update published on 6 November, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said the DRC had recorded 10,668 confirmed cases and 5,198 deaths as of 3 November, across 67 health zones in eight provinces.
Kenya had recorded nine confirmed cases and two deaths, while Nigeria had reported one imported case. WHO said there had been no new confirmed cases in Kenya or Nigeria since its previous update.
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
-
News4 days agoAPM holds Presidential Campaign in Plateau, Pledges Security and Economic Reset
-
News1 day ago
UNIJOS Appoints Patricia Lar as First Female Vice-Chancellor
-
News3 days ago
NiYA: Nigeria Awards ₦49m grants to 17 young entrepreneurs – Technology Times
-
News4 days ago
NPFL Matchday 12 Roundup: Rangers Edge Kwara United, Bendel Snatch Late Winner as Inter Lagos Rescue Derby Point
