People Often Ask about vaginal anatomy, vulva, labia, clitoris, and cycles

People Often Ask

Is it normal for my vagina to smell different throughout my cycle?

Your vagina is self-cleaning and it’s supposed to have a smell. That scent can shift through your menstrual cycle as hormones change your discharge and vaginal pH.

• Around ovulation, higher estrogen and stretchy, egg-white cervical mucus can make things smell slightly sweeter or more musky.
• Right before your period, progesterone drops and bacteria balance can shift; some people notice a stronger, more metallic or tangy smell.
• During your period, blood plus tissue plus iron = a clear metallic scent.

Red flags: fishy odor (often BV), cottage cheese discharge with intense itching (yeast), or any smell so strong you can notice it fully clothed. That’s your sign to see a provider. Douches and “vagina perfumes” are scams; they wreck your pH and make things worse.

Can birth control change my vulva, vagina, or clitoris?

Hormonal birth control doesn’t usually change the shape of your vulva, labia, or clitoris, but it can change how they feel.

Because it flattens your natural estrogen and progesterone waves, you might notice:

• Less dramatic mid-cycle wetness or horniness.
• Slightly drier vaginal tissue, which can make sex feel more sensitive or even painful without lube.
• A shift in libido—sometimes up, often down.

Progestin-only methods (like some pills, shots, and hormonal IUDs) can especially impact circulation and lubrication for some people. That doesn’t mean your anatomy is damaged; it means the hormonal environment changed.

If sex got painful or your desire vanished after starting a method, bring that up. You’re allowed to say, “I like the pregnancy protection, but this side effect is trash—what else can we try?”

Is it normal for penetration to hurt, and when is it a problem?

Brief discomfort the first few times you experiment with penetration can happen, especially if you’re not fully aroused, tense, or using zero lube. But ongoing or worsening pain is not something you just tolerate.

Reasons penetration can hurt:

• Not enough arousal = not enough blood flow and lubrication.
• Hormonal shifts (postpartum, breastfeeding, certain birth control, perimenopause) causing dryness.
• Conditions like vaginismus (pelvic floor muscles clenching), infections (yeast, BV, STIs), or skin issues.

See a provider if:

• You can’t insert a finger, tampon, or toy without strong pain.
• You get burning, tearing, or sharp pain every time.
• You bleed after sex regularly.

Pain-free sex is not a luxury goal; it’s baseline healthcare. Anyone telling you to “just relax” without investigating is not doing their job.

Can I see my cervix with a mirror, and should I?

You can see your cervix with a mirror and a clean speculum or a very strategic squat-and-mirror situation, but you absolutely don’t have to. For many people, mapping what you can comfortably see—the vulva, vaginal opening, and maybe a bit inside—is more than enough.

Your cervix is the round, firm “donut” at the top of the vaginal canal with a tiny opening in the center. Through your cycle, it changes:

• Softer, higher, and more open around ovulation.
• Lower, firmer, and more closed before and during your period.

If you’re curious and not squeamish, self-exam can be empowering. But if you’re anxious, triggered, or dysphoric about internal exams, skip it. That doesn’t make you less informed or less in control of your body.

If you want a non-judgy place to ask about smells, discharge, weird twinges, or just “is this normal?”, you can always head to Gush to ask questions, unpack patterns, or sanity-check what your body’s doing—no shame, no sugarcoating, just real talk.