In conservative Egypt, women seek low-cost ways to 'prove' their virginity.

For brides, a torn hymen can lead to shaming by relatives or in-laws. In the worst cases, it can motivate so-called honour killings. Photo:Unsplash/Lux Graves

She advertises her surgeries discreetly as a "health and beauty" service, but the gynaecologist offering hymen reconstruction operations to women in rural Egypt says they save lives.

In conservative societies such as Egypt, an "intact" hymen – the thin tissue that may partially cover the vagina – is still widely seen as confirming virginity.