Is orgasm necessary for women?
It is a common belief that female orgasm is necessary and is a key incentive for women to engage in sexual intercourse. Research data however challenge this belief.
A relevant study on women who were able to achieve orgasm during intercourse wanted to discover which sexual activity is the most enjoyable for women. According to their answers, the most pleasant encounters were those in which they feel connected with their partner and not necessarily those in which they have an orgasm.
Also, numerous studies confirm that 85% of women do not orgasm during vaginal intercourse although they are satosfied with their sexual life.
It seems to that the majority of women do not consider orgasm necessary for their pleasure and we know now that womens’ motivation for sex largely varies (one study recorded 235 different reasons women have sex), and only one of these is the physical relief.
Orgasm comes from the mind or body?
The descriptions of the female orgasm for many years was limited to physical reactions in the pelvic area (vaginal contractions, contractions in pelvic region etc.). However, women’s descriptions include more interesting orgasm dimensions.
According to a study, women associate the pleasure of orgasm with:
- thoughts and emotions felt,
- the overall physical and mental tension, instead of tension at specific body parts and
- satisfaction with the relationship.
It appears that for most women orgasm is an experience with many dimensions, not only physical and emotional.
Bridges S, Lease S, Ellison C (2004) Predicting sexual satisfaction in women: Implications for counselor education and training. Journal of Counseling and Development, 82: 158-166.
Mah K, Binik Y (2005) Are Orgasms in the Mind or the Body? Psychosocial Versus Physiological Correlates of Orgasmic Pleasure and Satisfaction. J Sex Marital Ther 31: 187-200.