[4] If untreated or unrecognized before puberty, an imperforate hymen can lead to peritonitis or endometriosis due to retrograde bleeding.
[1] An imperforate hymen is formed during fetal development when the sinovaginal bulbs fail to canalize with the rest of the vagina.
[6] An imperforate hymen is most often diagnosed in adolescent girls after the age of menarche with otherwise normal development.
[7] In adolescent girls of menarcheal age, the typical presentation of the condition is amennorhea and cyclic pelvic pain, indicative of hematocolpos secondary to vaginal obstruction.
[2] An imperforate hymen can also be diagnosed in newborn babies and it is occasionally detected on ultrasound scans of the foetus during pregnancy.
[7] In newborns the diagnosis is based on the findings of an abdominal or pelvic mass or a bulging hymen.