There is one hole in the vagina itself, but the area between your legs has three separate openings: the urethral opening (where urine comes out), the vaginal opening, and the anus. These three sit in a line from front to back, and each connects to a completely different system inside your body.
Much of the confusion around this question comes from mixing up two terms: the vulva and the vagina. The vulva is everything you can see on the outside. The vagina is a muscular canal inside the body. When people ask “how many holes,” they usually mean the visible openings in the vulvar area, not the vagina alone.
The Three Main Openings
Starting from the front and moving toward the back, here’s what you’ll find.
The urethral opening sits just below the clitoris and just above the vaginal opening. It’s small and can be hard to spot. This is where urine exits the body. The female urethra is short, running from the bladder straight to this opening. It has no connection to the reproductive system.
The vaginal opening (sometimes called the vaginal introitus) is in the middle. It’s noticeably larger than the urethral opening. This is where menstrual blood flows out, where a tampon or menstrual cup is inserted, where penetrative sex occurs, and where a baby passes through during vaginal delivery. Sometimes the inner labia partially or fully cover this opening, so you may need to part them with your fingers to see or feel it.
The anus is the third and most posterior opening. It sits about 1.5 inches behind the vaginal opening, separated by a small patch of skin called the perineum. The anus is part of the digestive system and has no anatomical connection to the reproductive or urinary tract.
Smaller Openings You Can’t Easily See
Beyond the three main openings, there are tiny gland ducts in the vulvar area that produce fluid for lubrication and infection prevention. These are nearly invisible to the naked eye, but they play real roles in day-to-day comfort and sexual health.
Skene’s glands are two small ducts that sit on either side of the urethral opening. They secrete fluid that lubricates the urethra during urination and helps prevent urinary tract infections. During sexual arousal, these glands swell with increased blood flow and provide additional lubrication. Researchers believe they may also be the source of female ejaculation, as the fluid they produce contains proteins similar to those found in male semen.
Bartholin’s glands open into the vestibule (the smooth area between the inner lips) near the lower part of the vaginal opening. Their job is to secrete moisture that helps lubricate the vagina during sex. You’d never notice these openings unless one becomes blocked, which can cause a noticeable cyst or swelling.
How the Hymen Affects What You See
The hymen is a thin piece of tissue that partially surrounds or covers the vaginal opening. Its shape varies widely from person to person, and this can change how the vaginal opening looks.
The two most common types are annular (a ring of tissue surrounding the entire opening, like a donut) and crescentic (a crescent-shaped piece of tissue along the bottom edge). Both leave the vaginal opening mostly clear. But several less common variations exist. A cribriform hymen has many small holes instead of one central opening. A microperforate hymen covers almost the entire opening except for a tiny hole. A septate hymen has an extra band of tissue running across the middle, making it look like there are two openings instead of one. An imperforate hymen covers the vaginal opening completely, which requires medical treatment because menstrual blood cannot exit.
These variations are present from birth. If you notice that your vaginal opening looks different from diagrams you’ve seen online, hymen shape is often the reason.
What’s Inside the Vaginal Canal
The vagina itself is a flexible, muscular tube. At the far end, about 3 to 6 inches deep, sits the cervix. The cervix is a firm, rounded structure with a small slit-like opening in its center called the cervical os. This opening connects the vagina to the uterus.
The cervical os is not something you’d typically see or feel on your own, but it plays a critical role throughout your life. During your period, it opens slightly to let menstrual blood flow out. Around ovulation, it produces thinner mucus to help sperm travel through. During pregnancy, it seals shut with a mucus plug to protect the fetus. And during labor, it dilates to allow delivery.
So while the cervical os is technically another opening connected to the vaginal canal, it functions more like a gate that opens and closes based on what your body needs at any given time.
Why This Matters
Knowing where each opening is helps with practical things: inserting a tampon or menstrual cup into the correct opening, understanding where a burning sensation during urination is actually coming from, or recognizing why wiping front to back matters (it keeps bacteria from the anus away from the urethra and vaginal opening). If you’ve ever had trouble locating your vaginal opening, using a handheld mirror in a comfortable position can help you identify all three openings and get familiar with your own anatomy.