A new Journal of Sexual Medicine study reports that two sources of a woman’s orgasm – the clitoris or the vagina – appear to have no bearing on her sexual function, satisfaction, depression, or anxiety.
Past research has suggested that women who have vaginal orgasms have better sexual and mental health when compared to those who require clitoral stimulation. However, a team of American scientists questioned the accuracy of a “clitoral vs vaginal dichotomy” and the notion that vaginal orgasms are “superior.”
They recruited 88 women between the ages of 18 and 53 to take part in a study. The women were psychology students at a southwestern U.S. university and their average age was 22 years.
The women completed several questionnaires designed to assess depression, anxiety, sexual desire, and sexual distress. They answered questions about their sexual behaviors and experiences with orgasms, particularly their most recent orgasm. They also reported how certain they were that they did actually experience orgasms.
Next, the women watched a series of sexually-explicit film clips followed by neutral film segments. During some of the sexual films, they were instructed to increase or decrease their sexual arousal, but not to self-stimulate. Each woman reported how sexually aroused she felt after each film segment.
Almost two-thirds of the women said they usually reached orgasm through vaginal or clitoral stimulation. In most cases, those who chose the vagina as their primary orgasm source selected the clitoris as their secondary source – and vice versa.
The women who indicated the clitoris as their primary source generally reported higher sex drive, felt more aroused by the sexual films, and could increase their sexual arousal as instructed. They also felt more inclined to masturbate.
In addition, orgasm source was not associated with orgasm intensity, sexual satisfaction, sexual distress, depression, or anxiety.
The study authors noted that assessing the sources of female orgasm could be challenging. “Women experience orgasms in many varied patterns, a complexity that is often missed by current methods of assessing orgasm source,” they wrote. They also explained that orgasms can vary by partner and type of sexual activity. For example, a woman may be able to reach orgasm while masturbating, but not during partnered sex.
Resources
The Journal of Sexual Medicine
Prause, Nicole, PhD, et al.
“Clitorally Stimulated Orgasms Are Associated With Better Control of Sexual Desire, and Not Associated With Depression or Anxiety, Compared With Vaginally Stimulated Orgasms”
(Full-text. Published online: September 22, 2016)
http://www.jsm.jsexmed.org/article/S1743-6095(16)30379-4/abstract