Use of hymenal measurements in the diagnosis of previous penetration.

Objective: To determine the usefulness of measurements of the vaginal opening and amount of hymenal tissue present inferiorly and laterally in the diagnosis of vaginal penetration.

Methods: The transhymenal diameters and the amount of tissue present between the hymenal edge and vestibule inferiorly at 6 o'clock and laterally at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock were measured from photographs of 189 prepubertal children with a validated history of digital or penile penetration and 197 children who denied previous sexual abuse. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare the mean values and hymenal symmetry between groups as well as to determine the sensitivity and specificity of various cutoff points.

A case-control study of anatomic changes resulting from sexual abuse.

Objective: Our goal was to identify vulvar and hymenal characteristics associated with sexual abuse among female children between the ages of 3 and 8 years.

Study Design: Using a case-control study design, we examined and photographed the external genitalia of 192 prepubertal children with a history of penetration and 200 children who denied prior abuse. Bivariate analyses were conducted by chi(2), the Fisher exact test, and the Student t test to assess differences in vulvar and hymenal features between groups.

Prevalence of cytomegalovirus antibody in subjects between the ages of 6 and 22 years.

We determined the prevalence of antibody to cytomegalovirus (CMV) in three groups between 1985 and 1987. Group I consisted of 511 subjects 6-22 y old, group II consisted of 920 subjects 18-21 y old, and group III of 113 subjects 18-22 y old. The overall prevalence of antibody in these three groups was 34%, 24%, and 28%, respectively.