The seam of the vulva is part of the so-called Infibulation, a deplorable genital mutilation commonly inflicted in some countries of sub-Saharan Africa, the Arabian peninsula and south-east Asia.
This practice is understood as a sort of guarantee of virginity, a very important requirement in traditional African societies.
The seam of the vulva concerns the opening of the vaginal canal, which leaves only a hole open to allow the menstrual blood to escape. A sort of second hymen is therefore created, at least from a functional point of view. Unlike the natural one which is generally torn during the first sexual intercourse, through the practice of infibulation sexual intercourse is impossible until defibulation (that is to say the ungluing of the vulva).
In addition to seaming the vulva, to preserve the chastity of young women until the wedding day, infibulation involves the removal of the clitoris, small lips and part of the labia majora. The intent of these further mutilations is to inhibit in the woman temptations of premarital relations first and then of betrayals.
In the image on the side you can see the various types of partial and complete infibulations.
