The government is planning on banning Hymen repair surgery which is a cosmetic surgery called hymenoplasty across the UK.

It attempts to recreate a woman’s hymen, which in some cultures is linked to virginity, and has been described as a form of honour-based abuse.

The procedure will be criminalised, as will virginity testing.

Minister for Care and Mental Health Gillian Keegan said the government was “committed to safeguarding vulnerable women and girls in this country”.

Hymenoplasty is available in clinics and can cost up to £3,000.

The procedure recreates a thin membrane known as the hymen which partially covers the entrance to the vagina. It is often done as a way to “repair” a hymen.

But the World Health Organization (WHO) says “the appearance of a hymen is not a reliable indication of intercourse”.

A women’s hymen can tear for all sorts of reasons and not just through sexual intercourse, for instance through playing sports or using tampons.

The practice of hymenoplasty is linked to conservative cultures which place a high value on virginity, with the expectation a virgin should bleed after sex on her wedding night.

The WHO says virginity testing is practised in at least 20 countries. It involves an intrusive vaginal examination to check if the hymen is intact.

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