Childrearing
Anonymous Mom: My Baby Daughter Developed Fused Vagina Syndrome
Being a first time mother can and most times will prove to be challenging, and at times quite frustrating. There are so many new realities a new mom has to adjust to, from giving birth—which not always develops as thoroughly planned—to breastfeeding (how much, when, how), to diaper changing, sleep patterns, GERD syndrome, or colic. These are only a small part of the thousands of milestones a mother has to face many times on her own.
Particularly for a single mother, the otherwise beautiful early days of motherhood could turn into the hardest experience of her life, leaving behind a bitter taste.
Thorough planning and seeking proper support from mom groups or specialized networks, on both internet and off the virtual world, would have such a great contribution in passing through these tough times with your head up—leaving behind beautiful memories of this unique experience motherhood is.
Even though you’ve covered every aspect of motherhood, surprises always come along, sometimes not the type one would love to experience. One of those hard times for us was discovering a rather uncommon condition our daughter has started to develop around three months old. It’s called fused vagina syndrome. No one, doctors included, has heard of it and obviously could not offer the support we desperately needed.
The fusion of the labia minora (as is scientifically named) is a result of labial adhesions, diagnosed in girls six months to six-years. It’s thought that between one and 10 percent of little girls develop this condition. I would say shockingly that 99.99 percent of parents have never heard of this condition. It can be caused by diaper rash, infections, and irritants that cause chronic inflammation of the labia; some baby girls just seem predisposed to it, simply because their estrogen levels are lower than the norm. Occasionally, the inflammation is the result of chronic sexual abuse! Some girls are prone to forming adhesions, no matter how careful the parents are, and I am one to testify that’s entirely true.
