Women from the former Soviet Union state of Georgia, now a republic, are required to undergo virginity inspections if they are getting married, BBC reports.

Quoting Georgia's National Forensic Bureau, the report said the inspection would cost future brides 175 lari or £69. The charge doubles if they want the results immediately.

While the test would burn a hole in their pocket because the amount is equal to the monthly expenses of an average Georgian, residents appear not to mind the requirement because of the value given to women being untouched before their wedding.

The root of the outlook is in the Orthodox Christian religion predominant in Georgia, but some women are a bit uptight about the documentation part of the examination.

The report said that the future brides are often accompanied by their relatives, boyfriends and even their future mothers-in-law.

"In many cases, they leave very happy when they find out the truth - that is, if the truth is acceptable to them," imedi TV quoted Eka Chavieslshvill, the medical expert of the bureau.

Inspection of the female genitalia is not only for checking if a woman had sex but also to determine if they have vulvar cancer and other ailments related to the female reproductive system.

Meanwhile, in South Africa, some young females are getting virginity tests even if the have no wedding plans yet, or even boyfriends for that matter.

On Saturday, 104 teenage women had the voluntary virginity test initiated by the Revelation Christian Church. The tests aimed to save and protect young girls from dangerous sexually transmitted ailments like HIV and AIDS, said Pastor Selaya Farnadi of the Revelation Christian Church.

He added the church hopes to attract more girls to have the virginity test, particularly those from the areas of Vhembe, Capricorn and Mopani. A team of women from the church supervised the holding of the virginity test.

"We don't force it upon anyone. After passing the virginity test, they receive certificates, a beautiful dress and they don't pay anything," the pastor added.

Although the mandated virginity tests appear to be acceptable to women from Georgia and South Africa, the case appears to be different in Egypt where protesters were required to take the exam.

Non-virgins, however, could tap on science to help them restore their virginity via artificial hymen.

Is it only women who undergo virginity tests? An acupuncturist in Vietnam could determine if a male is still a virgin or not through inspection not of their genitals, but on the ear.

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