How Do You Get Pregnant With No Vagina?

February 26, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

🎙️ The Voices & The Context

The Format: A narrative-driven podcast episode from Science Vs, featuring a new "case files" segment that dissects a wild 1988 medical case report like a thrilling mystery story, with hosts bantering and consulting experts.
The Key Players:
- Host: Wendy Zuckerman, energetic science communicator who builds hype and guides the tale.
- Guest: Joel Werner, science journalist adding wit, shock, and analysis; promotes his new podcast Assassins.
- Expert: Dr. Neil Shah (OBGYN), providing medical credibility on the condition and improbabilities.
The Vibe: Fun, mind-blowing, and darkly humorous—equal parts Jerry Springer drama, Jurassic Park wonder, and medical detective work.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **🎙️ Introduction: Joel Werner**
2 (04:51) **Stomach Wound Recovery and Return in Labor**
3 (07:00) **Vaginal Agenesis and Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser Syndrome**
4 (09:06) **Oral Sex, Stab Wound, and Sperm Escape Theory**
5 (11:32) **Sperm Survival in Stomach and Peritoneal Journey**
6 (17:11) **First-Time Ovulation and Astonishing Odds**
7 (21:18) **Medical Skepticism and Alternative Explanations**

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

It's 1988 in Lesotho, and doctors at a hospital see something they thought was impossible. A 15-year-old girl shows up pregnant and in labor, but she's missing something pretty crucial to her delivery: a vagina. So — how did this happen?? We go on a roller-coaster ride through the reproductive system with Dr. Neel Shah to find out.

Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/sciencevsnovagina

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) A small war

(04:12) How do you get pregnant without a vagina?

(14:37) The final unbelievable chapter

This episode was produced by Ekedi Fausther-Keeys with help from Wendy Zukerman, Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler, and Meryl Horn. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Emma Munger, So Wiley, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. Thank you to all the scientists we spoke to for this episode including, Dr. Sarah Ackroyd, Dr. Sarah Collins, Professor Adam Taylor, and Dr. Cathy Flood. Special thanks to Joseph Lavelle Wilson and the Zukerman family.

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