Studies suggest various possibilities regarding the use of this penalty against female criminals; some suggest that this penalty was not applied to women; some say this penalty was replaced by the penalty of confinement for life for women; and some mention the possibility that the vagina was stitched up, or the ovaries or womb were extracted.
女性には科されなかったとも、生涯幽閉する刑であったとも、実際に膣口を縫い潰したり、卵巣か子宮を切除する場合とがあったとも言われる。