Hymenal tags of the newborn

Abstract

Evaluation of female newborn genitalia should always be carried out at pre-discharge visit in hospital nurseries in order to exclude gross malformations, potentially compatible with genetic and/or endocrine syndromes. Being aware of normal inter-individual anatomical variability of external genitalia in female newborns - as well as ethnic-related peculiarities - is important to avoid unnecessary tests, perform a correct evaluation, and reassure parents. This paper provides a small gallery of the most typical possible presentations of hymenal tags in female newborns, as encountered in our pediatric dermatology practice in the last five years. The aim of the paper is to highlight the benignity of this condition, most often autoresolutive in the first year of life, in order to prevent neonatologists and general practitioners from prescribing unnecessary tests and allow parental reassurance.