Vaginal orgasm is associated with better psychological function

Abstract

In a large representative sample of the Swedish female adult population (N = 1256), having an orgasm from purely penile stimulation of the vagina (as opposed to orgasms from clitoral stimulation) was associated with greater satisfaction (with sex life, mental health, relationships with both partners and friends, and life in general), more frequent sexual desire, greater likelihood of having one's first ever orgasm from intercourse rather than masturbation, and lesser recent masturbation frequency. The association of vaginal orgasm with these measures was unconfounded by a marginal association of vaginal orgasm with frequency of vaginal intercourse (which was independently associated with most of the measures of greater satisfaction). Vaginal orgasms were not associated with having had orgasms from partner masturbation or cunnilingus. The results are discussed in terms of recent advances in sexual physiology showing different pathways for vaginal versus clitoral sensation and orgasm, other empirical research showing psychological and physiological advantages of penile – vaginal intercourse over other sexual behaviours, psychoanalytic theory, and the need to overhaul the practices of sex therapy and sex education.

Keywords:

• orgasm
• sexual intercourse
• masturbation
• sex therapy
• physiology
• psychoanalytic theory

Acknowledgement

The author is grateful to the Swedish Public Health Institute for providing the raw data set and related materials.