A woman from the United States has shared her experience of becoming pregnant at the age of 17, despite saying she had never had penetrative sex at the time.
Kelsi Mickelson said doctors had previously told her she had an unusually small vaginal opening, making sexual intercourse impossible. At 15, during her first visit to a gynaecologist, she was informed that even a basic pelvic exam could not be carried out due to the condition.
Doctors told her the condition would not affect her daily life but would prevent her from having sex. She planned to undergo a surgical procedure known as a hymenectomy at 18, but became pregnant before the operation could take place.
Ms Mickelson said the pregnancy followed a relationship in which she and her boyfriend did not have penetrative sex. After her menstrual cycle did not arrive, a pregnancy test confirmed she was expecting, something she and her family had believed was medically impossible.
She said the situation caused significant personal difficulties. Coming from a religious background, some people doubted her explanation, and she lost several friendships as a result. She said some accused her of lying to hide sex before marriage.
Medical professionals expressed concern about whether she would be able to give birth safely. However, she delivered a healthy baby girl in September 2009 without complications. During labour, doctors found that the excess tissue had broken down naturally, allowing for a normal delivery.
After the birth, Ms Mickelson said she was able to have sex without pain. She has since gone on to have four more children. She also said three of her later pregnancies occurred while she was using an intrauterine device (IUD).
Ms Mickelson says her experience highlights how rare medical conditions can lead to outcomes that challenge common understanding of pregnancy and reproduction.
