Ask a doctor on the topic of Gynecology

Air in the vagina

November 14, 2012 | 20,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Ralf Berg

Hello,

I have a possibly unusual question... it is about me suspecting that my girlfriend (who is 11 weeks pregnant) is cheating on me. When she was last with her friend at her friend's "boyfriend's" place and I picked her up in the evening, she didn't want to have sex with me... after a long back and forth, she eventually agreed but I was not allowed to stimulate her, etc. She said I should just hurry up, she has been very distant with me since then, she turned onto her stomach and I lifted her hips to get into the "doggy style" position, and air escaped directly from her vagina, meaning she had a "vagina fart" even though I hadn't done anything yet and we hadn't had sex the day before or on that day.
When I tried to penetrate her with my penis, air escaped multiple times, which seemed very strange to me. We then had sex and I asked her how this could happen without her having had sex with someone else or anything like that. She replied that she hadn't been with anyone else and that occasionally air escapes from the vagina.

So my question is: Is it possible for this to happen without sexual intercourse, yes or no (explanation desired)? Because to my knowledge, air can only enter the vagina from the outside, usually during sexual intercourse, and it most commonly happens in the "doggy style" position, as the vacuum in the vagina is highest when the woman relaxes her stomach... similar to the principle of a pump, and the air can only escape when something enters the vagina and opens it or when the man pulls his penis very far out during sex, causing the so-called "vagina fart".

Dr. med. Ralf Berg

Good evening,

this is a simple and easy to answer question.
It is entirely possible for air to enter the vagina without sexual intercourse. So the answer is yes,
The vagina is not a "air pump" where one can create "negative pressure" through relaxation exercises of the abdomen. Unlike a pump, it simply lacks the valve at the entrance. The introitus can open both manually, through movements, pressure, gymnastics, splits, etc., and of course during sexual intercourse, allowing air to enter. Normally, the vagina is closed by the adjacent labia. But it is only loosely closed, not with a "valve mechanism." If there is excessive mucus production, the adhesion of the labia increases and trapped air cannot escape spontaneously. If there is an opening (no matter how), the trapped air can escape with a "sound" if it is under pressure/decompression to the atmosphere. The assumption that only during sexual intercourse air could enter the vagina and this would be evidence of infidelity is simply wrong. The vagina fart is not suitable as evidence for that. (Which in your case, should make it easier for you. Even if it is a bit early: During pregnancy, the birth canal widens, the tissue does not tighten, but becomes softer, and the entry of air into the vagina is facilitated.

Sincerely, Dr. R. Berg

With best regards, R. C. Berg