The connection between the internal and the external sex organs is the vagina, or birth canal. Vagina is a Latin word whose original meaning was sheath; presumably the designation came about in reference to the role the vagina plays relative to the penis in heterosexual intercourse. The vagina performs three separate functions: it serves as the passageway for menstrual flow, it couples with the penis during intercourse and is involved in other forms of sexual activity, and it is the birth canal.

The vagina resembles a collapsed tube of toothpaste when all the toothpaste has been squeezed out. It is a potential space; it is not always open. When a woman is neither sexually stimulated nor in the process of giving birth, the vagina is closed, with its two walls touching. These walls are composed of soft folds called rugae. The vagina is extremely flexible and expandable; it can open to accommodate a finger, a tampon, a penis, or a baby. In its resting state, it is about eight to ten centimeters (three to four inches) long; it tilts at a slightly backward angle from its bottom (external opening) to its top — an anatomical fact of some significance for the woman learning to insert a tampon or a diaphragm.

The upper two-thirds of the vagina has relatively few nerve endings and thus is relatively insensitive to touch. However, this portion of the vagina is sensitive to pressure. The cervix, too, is relatively devoid of nerve endings. Thus, the medical procedure known as the Pap smear, which involves removing cell samples from the cervical os, can be done with minimal discomfort for the woman. (The Pap smear will be discussed more fully in a later section of this chapter.)

The lower third of the vagina, especially around the entrance, is the most sexually sensitive part of this organ. A procedure which can be performed for therapeutic reasons or as part of self-discovery involves thinking of the vaginal entrance as the face of a clock. Having located the relative positions of 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock, the woman then explores which areas are most sensitive for her. Some women also locate a sensitive spot on the anterior, or upper, wall of the vagina, which may be related to the clitoral nerve system.

The vagina can have two types of moisture present in it. One is a product of the normal functioning of the hormonal system, for example, cervical mucus, and of the vagina’s self-cleansing mechanism. Vaginal discharge is thus a normal product; the amount varies from woman to woman, and the amount, texture, and odor varies with the phases of the menstrual cycle. The environment of the vagina is normally acidic, between 3.5 and 4.5 pH. This acidity works to reduce the possibility of infection. The other type of moisture produced in the vagina is the lubrication which is secreted as a woman becomes sexually aroused.

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