The Girl with No Vagina

A teenager has spoken of his "total shock" at being told at the age of 17 she had no vagina.

Jacqui Beck, 19, has MRKH, a rare syndrome that affects the reproductive system - meaning he no uterus, cervix or vaginal opening.

He was diagnosed only after he went to his GP about back pain - and mentioned in passing that she had started her period.

'I'm sure the doctor got wrong, but when he explained that was why I was having the time, it all started to make sense.

'Then she explained that I would not be able to carry a child and may have to have surgery before I can have sex.

'I left the doctor in tears - I do not know what it's like to give birth, be pregnant, have a period of time. All the things that I thought were doing suddenly got erased from my future.

"I was really angry and felt like I was not a real woman any more. '

Because he has never attempted to have a physical relationship, never noticed the problem himself Miss Beck. He tried, he would have discovered it was impossible for him to have sex.

He said : ' It's not really a conscious decision not to have a girlfriend , I was not really fancy any of the men in my area , which is lucky , considering what I know now ' .

MRKH affects one in 5,000 women in the UK . Most of them will discover the conditions because they started their season , but few know when they persist to have sex .

Miss Beck explained he is a ' dimple ' where her vagina should be so from the outside it looks normal - which explains why the condition is not detected earlier.

Despite the shocking news , he was trying to see his condition in a positive light - and even as a way of ensuring that he meets the right person .

He said : ' If you have a problem with it at him, then he is not the kind of person who likes to go out with .

'I'm a hopeless romantic and I see it as a good test of a person's character . Instead of focusing on putting it off people , I really think it will help me find " the one " .

'I want to be faithful to any man I meet and tell them about my immediate situation . I do not want them to feel tricked into being with me .

' I will feel more comfortable if they know the truth and besides , if they run the mention of MRKH then I do not want to be intimate with them . '

He said that as a teenager , he was blissfully unaware of his condition - with no idea that the progress he is waiting for will never happen .

' When I was 14 , my friends started talking to me about their time . They started carrying tampons around , complaining about cramps and sharing notes on what it 's like .

" For a year I waited to go through the same , up to 15 , has started all knew their time apart from me .

' I did not panic though , I was tall and skinny and I thought that might be something to do with me being late developer . '

Instead , he focused on his future and when he was 17 , applied to attend a college of music in Guildford .

But after suffering from pain in his neck in the summer 2012, he went to see his GP .

' While I was there , I mentioned I did not start my period . I still was not overly concerned but I thought it was worth saying something

" My doctor was very surprised but seem to think it was serious. Suggested only that he will make some scans to see what the problem is . '

When scan showed nothing , he was referred to a gynecologist , who immediately spotted something was wrong .

Miss Beck said : ' My other results of the scan are sent to him and just from looking at it , he knew I had MRKH .

" He sat me down and explained that only one I do not have a uterus or a vagina , I was born without it and instead only had a little dimple in it's place . '

So mortified by what he heard , he was too embarrassed to admit to family and friends she had the condition - let alone the prospect of telling any future boyfriends .

He said : ' I was too embarrassed to call my mum and talk it through with him , so instead , I sent him an email .

" He called back and came straight over to Guildford the next day from the Isle of Wight .

' While mum was upset for me , he tried to focus on finding out as much about the situation as possible , so we can understand it .

' He also encouraged me to focus on the bright side . We laughed as we listed all the things that I do not have to go through , headache, cramps , pains , smear test - . To try and look on the bright side '

Focusing on her treatment , Miss Beck was admitted to Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in London , who specialize in these conditions .

There, he was given dilation treatment , which involved using different sizes of dilators to try and stretch her ​​vaginal canal - but said if it did not work , he would need to be operated on.

He said : " I spent two days there , getting been taught how to use the dilator and learn more about MRKH .

' The first time the nurse showed me how to use a dilator I almost died of embarrassment . But now , I got used to it , I see it in any other form of treatment .

' At the hospital , they referred me to a network of other women who have the same condition . It was great to talk to other girls who felt like me .

' I stopped feeling so alone and it also gave me hope as I spoke to the women who had gone on to have a full sex life . '

Thankfully , his treatment has worked and if he continues he will not need surgery and when he chooses to , will be able to have intercourse .

Further down the line there will be more difficult conversations he must have come when she wants to have children .

He said : 'I'm at an age when I'm thinking about the kids , but I think that hit me later . I will use a second , or shelter , but I have to ensure that any person I meet is OK with that too .

' Again , I try and take it as a blessing , not as women discover they can not get pregnant when they are trying for a baby , I have time to get used to the idea . '

For Miss Beck , his one hope is that the condition becomes more well known , so that other women realize they have it earlier than he did .

' I was only told five of my best friends , but then I realized it was not something I should be ashamed of .

' If you have cancer , or , any other medical issues , people would be supportive . So , I recently came out to everyone on Facebook , telling them about my situation .

' I was surprised at how positive everyone was, they said I was brave and beautiful , now I wish I had not been open about it from the beginning . '

source