11 things you didn't know your vagina could do

1. It cleans itself.

That's what vaginal discharge is for, after all. It flushes out bacteria and old cells to prevent any unwanted pathogens from entering the uterus. So there's no need for you to pile on the scented soaps, as you don't want to upset its pH balance.

2. It can change colour.

Lady parts come in all shapes and sizes, thanks to genetics, but just because it starts life as one colour doesn't mean it'll stay that way. 'During sexual arousal or pregnancy, blood flow to the genitals changes and that can result in a colour change,' usually making it a deeper, darker colour, says gynaecologist Michael Krychman. Then there's menopause to consider: Dr Krychman says the loss of oestrogen during this stage of a woman's life can also cause the vagina to change colour, usually a lighter or more dull shade than before. While we applaud its chameleon-like capabilities, the colour versatility is normal and nothing to be concerned about.

3. It can get bigger.

When you're aroused, there's a lot of blood flowing down to the nether regions, and blood vessels in the vagina become dilated. 'This causes the vagina and genitopelvic area to become enlarged, which is known as vaginal tenting,' says Dr Krychman.

4. It can get stronger.

We are talking about the pelvic floor - about one in three women experience some form of pelvic floor muscle dysfunction (PFMD), and those who do have to deal with bladder control issues, urine leakage and pain. And it's not just a problem for older women or those who've had children - Leslie Rickey, MD, fellowship director of female pelvic medicine at Yale University, says she sees it in patients across every age, including young women in their early 20s who haven't had kids yet.

5. The good news is that you can do something about it. 'Pelvic floor exercises have been shown to be extremely effective as a first-line therapy for bladder control issues,' says Dr Rickey. You can either visit a pelvic floor physical therapist, or do them on your own - there's even an app to guide you: PeriCoach, certified by the US FDA. 'It's like going to the gym for your vagina,' explains Dr Rickey. Otherwise, she suggests cutting down on caffeine, not over-saturating your body with too much water (the Institute of Medicine recommends women drink nine cups per day), and even training your bladder to wait longer between bathroom breaks. And no, it won't cause an infection if you wait about three hours, which is the average amount of time Dr Rickey says you should be able to wait between visits when drinking the recommended amount of water a day.

6. It can talk to you.

Whether you're in baby-making mode or about to get your period, or if there's a serious health risk like cancer potentially going on, your vagina has a lot of important things it's ready to tell you. You just have to listen. If you notice something different is going on, it's usually best to head to the doctor to get it checked out.

7. It could save lives.

There's currently a clinical trial testing the safety of endometrial regenerative cells (ERC), or 'stem cells,' to treat congestive heart failure patients. These stem cells are extracted from menstrual blood and grown to generate different types of cells in the body. In this case, the stem cells are made into muscle cells of the heart. Right now it's just an experimental study, and not something that is being done with any regularity, but you never know - some day it could help patients suffering from heart failure.

8. It protects itself.

In case you were wondering, 'the vagina isn't endless,' says Dr. Rickey. So there's no chance something - a tampon, condom, menstrual cup, whatever - is going to get lost. 'The vagina connects to the uterus, but the cervix acts like a barrier between the two. It would be very difficult for anything to get through the small opening that is there (that's how sperm get through, FYI).'

9. It can trap a penis.

Sounds silly but it's known as penis captivus (a fitting name don't you think?) where the vagina literally holds a penis captive when it occurs. Dr Krychman notes that it's an extremely rare phenomenon, but it has been reported in several case studies. What happens is that during intercourse, 'the pelvic muscles of the vagina clamp down on the penis much more firmly than usual, which can make it difficult or impossible to remove the penis from the vagina'. It might make an extremely awkward (not to mention difficult to navigate) trip to the doctor, but Dr Krychman says if it happens to call an ambulance staight away, stay calm, and lie very still until help arrives.

10. It can have four different kinds of orgasm.

Men only experience one type but that's not the case for women, as we experience orgasms differently. For us, orgasms can be divided into four categories: clitoral, vaginal, blended, and multiple. Here's a breakdown, according to Dr Krychman:

1. Clitoral: When you orgasm simply through the stimulation of the clitoris, without vaginal penetration.

2. Vaginal: An orgasm that's a result of vaginal penetration, primarily, with little or no clitoral stimulation.

3. Blended: When you have clitoral, vaginal and cervical stimulation (cervical stimulation can be painful for some women and pleasurable for others).

4. Multiple: What we consider the holy grail, or when a woman slightly relaxes after one orgasm - but not completely - and is then aroused again, resulting in 'multiple experiences of orgasmic pleasure in rapid succession'.

11. You can live with two of them.

It's rare, but it's possible to be born with uterus didelphys - a condition that essentially causes the vagina to split into two separate cavities. Along with it comes two uteruses and two cervixes, but a 'normal' number of Fallopian tubes and eggs. It also means having two periods every month if the egg in one uterus is released before an egg in the other