Labial Hypoplasia

What is labial hypoplasia?

The labia are basically two fat pads to protect a woman's clitoris and vagina from trauma. Labial hypoplasia is a harmless condition in which one or both sides of the labia don't form normally during puberty. One side may be normal while the other side grows smaller or is absent.

The cause of labial hypoplasia is unclear.
Missing one or both sides of the labia or having labia of different sizes has no long-term medical complications.
Women with labial hypoplasia have normal sexual function because the clitoris, clitoral hood, and vagina are normal.

How Boston Children's Hospital approaches labial hypoplasia

At the Center for Congenital Anomalies of the Reproductive Tract, an interdisciplinary team of pediatricians, gynecologists, urogynecologists, and colorectal surgeons will work with your daughter to find the best approach to her labial hypoplasia.

Symptoms & Causes

What are the symptoms of labial hypoplasia?

A smaller size or absence of one or both sides of the labia.

How will labial hypoplasia affect my daughter's sexual life?

Much female sexual pleasure comes from stimulation of the clitoris and vagina. Since patients with labial hypoplasia have normal external genitalia, your daughter should have normal sexual pleasure.

Diagnosis & Treatments

How is labial hypoplasia diagnosed?

A physician can confirm that one or both sides of the labia are missing or that one side is smaller than the other.

How is labial hypoplasia treated?

Labial hypoplasia has no long-term medical complications, but if a young woman is distressed by the appearance of her labia, she can have a procedure to reduce the larger side to the size of the smaller or non-existent side.

Programs & Services

What is labial hypoplasia?

How Boston Children's Hospital approaches labial hypoplasia