There are three separate openings in the vulvar area: the urethral opening (where urine comes out), the vaginal opening, and the anus. This is one of the most commonly searched questions about female anatomy, and for good reason. Studies have found that only 14% of adolescent females could correctly identify the vagina on a diagram, and most people use the word “vagina” when they actually mean the vulva, which is the entire external genital area.
The Three Main Openings
From front to back, the three openings are arranged in a straight line along the body’s midline. The urethral opening sits just below the clitoris and just above the vaginal opening. It’s small and can be hard to spot, which is part of why many people don’t realize it exists as a separate opening. This is where urine exits the body, through a short tube that connects to the bladder.
The vaginal opening, also called the introitus, is the largest of the three. It sits within the vestibule, which is the cavity between the inner lips (labia minora). This opening is the entry point for penetrative sex, the exit for menstrual blood, and the birth canal during delivery. Despite its importance, many people mistakenly believe urine also comes from this opening.
The anus is the third opening, located behind the vaginal opening. The strip of skin between the vaginal opening and the anus is called the perineum.
Vagina vs. Vulva
One reason this question comes up so often is that the word “vagina” gets used as a catch-all for everything between your legs. It isn’t. The vagina is a stretchy, muscular canal located inside the body. The vulva is everything on the outside: the labia, the clitoris, and the openings to both the urethra and vagina. In one study of gynecology patients, not a single participant used the correct term “vulva” when describing their external genitalia. Everyone said “vagina” instead.
So when people ask “how many holes in a vagina,” they’re really asking about the vulva. The vagina itself is one opening that leads to one internal canal.
What’s Inside the Vaginal Canal
If you follow the vaginal canal inward, it ends at the cervix, which is the lower portion of the uterus. The cervix has its own small opening, a narrow slit in the center of a firm, rounded structure. This opening plays different roles depending on what’s happening in your body. During your period, it opens slightly to let blood flow out. Around ovulation, it produces thinner mucus that helps sperm travel through. During pregnancy, it stays tightly closed and forms a mucus plug to seal off the uterus. During labor, it softens, thins, and dilates wide enough for a baby to pass through.
You can sometimes feel the cervix with a finger inserted into the vaginal canal. It feels like a smooth, firm bump with a small dimple in the center.
The Hymen and Vaginal Opening Variations
The vaginal opening doesn’t look the same in everyone. A thin membrane called the hymen partially covers the opening, and its shape varies widely. In most people, it’s a small ring of tissue around the edges that leaves the opening mostly clear. But in some cases, the hymen takes different forms that can change how many visible openings you see at the vaginal entrance.
A septate hymen has a band of tissue running across the middle, making the single vaginal opening look like two side-by-side openings. A microperforate hymen covers almost the entire opening, leaving only a very tiny hole. An imperforate hymen, which is less common, covers the opening completely and needs medical attention because it blocks menstrual flow. These are normal anatomical variations, not abnormalities, though some may need treatment if they cause problems.
Smaller Glandular Openings
Beyond the three main openings, there are also tiny gland ducts in the vulvar area that most people would never notice. The Skene’s glands are two small ducts located on either side of the urethral opening. They produce fluid that lubricates the urethra during urination and helps protect against urinary tract infections. During sexual arousal, these glands swell with increased blood flow and may release a mucus-like substance during orgasm. Interestingly, they develop from the same cells that become the prostate in males.
The Bartholin’s glands sit on either side of the vaginal opening and produce lubricating fluid during arousal. Their ducts are so small they’re essentially invisible under normal circumstances. You’d typically only become aware of them if one gets blocked and forms a cyst, which causes a noticeable lump near the vaginal opening.
These glandular ducts are technically openings, but they’re microscopic and serve specialized functions. When people talk about the “holes” in the vulvar area, they mean the three main ones: urethral, vaginal, and anal.
How to Identify Each Opening
If you’ve never looked at your own anatomy with a mirror, you’re not alone. But it’s straightforward once you know what you’re looking for. With a handheld mirror and good lighting, you can see the clitoris at the top, partially covered by its hood. Just below it is the urethral opening, which looks like a small dot or slit. Below that is the larger vaginal opening, surrounded by the inner lips. The tissue of the hymen may be visible around the edges of the vaginal opening, depending on your anatomy.
Knowing where each opening is located helps with practical things like inserting menstrual cups or tampons correctly, understanding where a burning sensation during a urinary tract infection is coming from, or simply feeling more familiar with your own body.