In Western societies, there has been a largely negative attitude typified by the medical terminology of pudenda membra, meaning parts to be ashamed of.

[3] Mons pubis is Latin for "pubic mound" and is present in both sexes to act as a cushion during sexual intercourse, and is more pronounced in the female.

However, the hymen may also rupture spontaneously during exercise or be stretched by normal activities such as the use of tampons and menstrual cups, or be so minor as to be unnoticeable, or be absent.

[23] The organs and tissues of the vulva are drained by a chain of superficial inguinal lymph nodes located along the blood vessels.

The point where the nerve circles the ischial spine is the location where a pudendal block of local anesthetic can be administered to inhibit sensation to the vulva.

[12][8] This variation has also been evidenced in a large display of 400 vulval casts called the Great Wall of Vagina created by Jamie McCartney to fill the lack of information of what a normal vulva looks like.

[38][37] Sexual differentiation takes place, and at the end of week six in the female, hormones stimulate further development and the genital tubercle bends and forms the clitoris.

This tissue develops and lengthens during the third to fifth months and the lower part of the vaginal canal is formed by a process of desquamation or cell shedding.

[53] The production of the female sex hormone estradiol (an estrogen) at puberty, causes the perineal skin to thicken by keratinising, and this reduces the risk of infection.

It provides entry to, and protection for the uterus, and the right conditions in terms of warmth and moisture that aids in its sexual and reproductive functions.

Stimulation to vulvar orgasm is optimally achieved by a massaging sensation,[47] such as oral sex (cunnilingus), fingering, and tribadism (two women rubbing vulvas together).

[71][72] Vulvar organs and tissues can become affected by different infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses, or infested by parasites such as lice and mites.

[73] Bacterial infections include: chancroid – characterised by genital ulcers known as chancres; granuloma inguinale showing as inflammatory granulomas often described as nodules; syphilis –the primary stage classically presents with a single chancre, a firm, painless, non-itchy ulcer, but there may be multiple sores;[75] and gonorrhea that very often presents no symptoms but can result in discharge.

[86] The second most common vulvar cancer is basal cell carcinoma, which rarely spreads to regional lymph nodes or distant organs.

[85] As such, 32% of women with vulvar melanoma already have regional involvement or distant metastases at the time of diagnosis, which significantly impacts prognosis.

[96] An asymptomatic skin disorder of the vulval vestibule is vestibular papillomatosis, which is characterised by fine, pink projections from either the epithelium of the vulva or from the labia minora.

[104] Genitoplasties are plastic surgeries that can be carried out to repair, restore or alter vulvar tissues,[105] particularly following damage caused by injury or cancer treatment.

They refer to the lack of data relevant to their safety and effectiveness and to the potential associated risks such as infection, altered sensation, dyspareunia, adhesions, and scarring.

[12] Children in the African diaspora practise this too, so it occurs within immigrant communities in, for example, Britain, where a BBC News report labelled it a hidden form of child abuse.

[125][126][127] Other forms of permanent modifications of the vulva for cultural, decorative or aesthetic reasons are genital tattoos or scarification (so-called "Hanabira").

In September 2007, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued a committee opinion on these and other female genital surgeries, including "vaginal rejuvenation", "designer vaginoplasty", "revirgination", and "G-spot amplification".

The ACOG and the ISSVD recommend that women seeking these surgeries need to be informed about the lack of data supporting these procedures and the potential associated risks such as infection, altered sensation, dyspareunia, adhesions, and scarring.

[131] Female genital mutilation is carried out in thirty countries in Africa and Asia with more than 200 million girls being affected, and some women (as of 2018).

It involves removing and damaging healthy and normal female genital tissue, and it interferes with the natural functions of girls' and women's bodies.

The word has been replaced in normal usage by a few euphemisms including "pussy" (vulgar slang) and "fanny" (UK), which used to be a common pet name.

[174] An art installation called The Dinner Party by feminist artist, Judy Chicago, portrays a symbolic history of famous women.

[175] Another installation was made by British artist Jamie McCartney who used the casts of four hundred vulvas to create The Great Wall of Vagina in 2011.

[176][35] As a rule, only the external female genitals of placental mammals are referred to as the "vulva", although the term is also used in the scientific literature for functionally comparable structures in other animal groups such as marsupials[177] and roundworms (Nematoda).

The vulva of a placental consists of the following along with its variations: During estrus, the clitoris of a mare (female horse) everts as the labia contracts by opening and closing.

[189] The vulva of a spotted hyena has a large clitoris known as a pseudo-penis for copulating, giving birth and urinating, as well as fused labia (pseudo-scrotum).