"Virginity" and the hymen: knowledge, attitudes, and practices among Swiss health professionals

Hymen anatomy and physiology remain poorly understood, even among health-care providers. Misconceptions about virginity testing, virginity certification, and hymenoplasty can lead to harmful practices and place women who are unable to prove their virginity at risk of violence or even death. The aim of this study is to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of gynecologists and pediatricians in Switzerland regarding virginity testing, virginity certification, and hymenoplasty, and to identify gaps to inform future training and professional guidelines.

Gynecologists, pediatricians, and medical students completed a 22-question survey. Group differences were assessed using chi-square or Fisher's exact tests, with significance set at 5%.

A total of 542 participants completed the survey. Overall, 97.5% believed that the absence of bleeding during the first vaginal penetration does not mean that someone is not a "virgin." However, for 13.3% of respondents, hymenal rupture does define the loss of virginity, and 24.5% believed that a gynecologist can determine virginity status, with a significant association with medical practice settings (P < .001), university hospitals (P = .01), private clinics (P = .009), and public institutions (P < .001). Hymenoplasty was considered effective by 16.2% of the participants in ensuring bleeding at subsequent penetration. The right of patients or family to request a virginity check was acknowledged by 18.9% of participants, even if most respondents (85.9%) believed that practicing hymenal reconstruction reinforces gender inequalities. In addition, 68% of participants agreed that a virginity certificate should be issued in life-threatening situations.A little over one-third (39.3%) of the responding physicians had received at least one request for virginity testing, certification, or hymenal reconstructive surgery; 30.4% of them accepted the request, but only 28.8% of all requests offered multidisciplinary management.

Women may encounter different approaches depending on the health-care professional they consult, reflecting a lack of standardized care. This national survey highlights substantial knowledge gaps and variability in practice among Swiss health-care professionals, underscores the absence of official guidelines and a coordinated support network, and calls on Swiss medical societies to establish clear, evidence-based recommendations that prioritize patient information, safety, and support while integrating these topics into education, residency training, and medical school curricula.