An Arizona woman who was born without a vagina is raising money through a crowdfunding website in hopes to have a life-changing surgery that would allow her to “feel like a woman” for the first time.
Kaylee Moats says she was born with Mayer Rokitansky Küster Hauser syndrome (MRKH), which means she has no cervix, uterus or vaginal opening.
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The 22-year-old was diagnosed with MRKH when she was 18, after seeing her gynecologist because she hadn’t yet gotten her first menstrual cycle.
“I was heartbroken and confused when the doctor came in and told me he didn’t see a uterus in the ultrasound,” Moats told Mirror.
“I was scared for the future because I didn’t know what’s coming up next and how I would be able to have my own family one day.”
Moats says that her vagina looks like any other, but instead of a vaginal opening “it’s just a little dimpled skin where the hole should be.”
Moats boyfriend of four months, Robbie, says he’s not bothered by the fact that he and Moats can’t have sex.
“I met Robbie in my senior year of college when I was working at the front desk,” Moats said. “It took about a month for me to tell him that I have MRKH. He was confused at first but supportive and said that it doesn’t change how he sees me.”
“He doesn’t really focus on the sexual side of our relationship because we can’t do anything since I don’t have a vaginal opening,” she said. “But I am looking forward to having a sexual relationship.”
Because Moats’ surgery is considered a cosmetic surgery and not covered by her insurance, Moats’ sister, Amanda set up a GoFundMe campaign to help finance the $15,000 procedure. Robbie donates $50 every month.
At press time, the GoFundMe page has reached its goal, at $15,742.
“I’m a bit nervous to have sex for the first time after surgery because I’m not sure if something is going to go wrong down there or if it’s going to hurt,” she said.
Although the surgery would still mean that Moats couldn’t carry children, she does have functioning ovaries and says that she menstruates internally.
“I do sometimes have sharp pain in my ovaries. I still ovulate like any other woman it just gets dissolved into my ovaries instead of being released,” she said.
In addition to setting up the crowdfunding page, Moats’ sister Amanda even offered to be her surrogate, using Moats’ eggs to fulfill her dream of being a mother.
“Getting the surgery will help me feel normal and have all the right body parts as any other girl,” Moats said. “I won’t have to hide that part of my life. That part of my life will be fixed.”
