Frequency and Timing of Coital Orgasm in Women Desirous of Becoming Pregnant

Generally, no functional role, except pleasure, is assigned to a women's coital orgasm. Recently, however, researchers have suggested that women can regulate the number of sperm accepted or rejected by manipulation coital orgasm timing. Baker and Bellis (1995) demonstrated that women retain more sperm if coital orgasm occurs after, rather than before male ejaculation. The present study investigated (i) factors associated with coital orgasm frequency and (ii) whether women desirous of becoming pregnant report more coital orgasms after than before their partners. Sixty-nine women rated their desire for pregnancy and answered questions about their sexual behaviors, coital orgasm frequency, and coital orgasm timing in relation to their partners. In regression analysis, coital orgasm frequency was predicted by foreplay duration, masturbation frequency, and active sexual participation; desire for pregnancy did not predict coital orgasm frequency. Desire for pregnancywas predicted byage (negatively), active sexual participation (positively), and positively by orgasm after partner ejaculation. Consistent with the Baker and Bellis hypothesis, frequency of orgasm after partner's orgasm remained a significant predictor for desire for pregnancy after controlling for degree of marital happiness, sexual foreplay duration, and coital orgasm frequency.     

Perimenopausal sexuality

This report covers (i) the results of an interview survey concerning sexual responses of 124 women during the perimenopause (menopause transition), and (ii) the results of 52 women's prospective coital behavior records over 3 months with concomitant steroid analysis. Results indicated that (i) in general, the age group centering around 49 years appears not to be suffering from a particular sexual deficit in the dimensions of desire, response, or satisfaction in their sexul life, and (ii) a subset of women with especially low estradiol levels (< 35 mg/pl) tends to have reduced coital activity.     

Dimensions of female sexuality: A factor analysis

The present study was designed to generate hypotheses about dimensions underlying female sexuality. The subjects were 138 undergraduate women who completed three questionnaires about their sexual attitudes and behavior. A factor analysis yielded seven factors that were labeled as follows: (1) overall level of heterosexual activity; (2) level of noncoital heterosexual satisfaction; (3) gratification from masturbation; (4) responsivity to coital position; (5) latency to orgasm; (6) comfort with heterosexual contact; and (7) sexual precocity. Orgasmic responsivity was found to be positively correlated with the level of noncoital heterosexual satisfaction, gratification from masturbation, and comfort with heterosexual contact. Orgasmic responsivity was not dependent on coital position, and latency to orgasm was not dependent on the mode of stimulation. Suggestions for future research include contrasting functional and dysfunctional samples of women to determine the etiological precursors of female sexual responsiveness.     

Personality correlates of sexual behavior in black women

Black women (N =35)were asked via questionnaires to provide information about various aspects of their sexual behavior (e.g., orgasm consistency, clitoral-vaginal preferences, intercourse frequency, and masturbation). They also responded to the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule, to a measure of attitudes toward their parents, and to a measure of their preferences for external and internal sources of stimulation. The sexual behavior of the blacks was generally more similar to than different from that of female white controls. Furthermore, a number of correlations between sexual response patterns and personality and attitudinal measures that were previously found in white women were duplicated in the black women. However, there were also previous correlations that were not duplicated. Overall, the results for the black women paralleled those for white women.     

Subjective sexual experience in college women

A random sample of 100 undergraduate women were interviewed about their subjective sexual experience. Sexual sensations during masturbation, oral sex, intercourse, and intercourse with concurrent clitoral massage were summarized and differentiated. Sensations labeled orgasm by a majority of the subjects were identified, and the suggestion was made that experiences other than that outlined by Masters and Johnson may be considered orgasmic by women in a more general population. Some support was found for Singer and Singer's typology of orgasm at a subjective level. Most subjects who experienced multiple orgasms found them no more satisfying than single ones. Clitoral and vaginal orgasms may be distinguished subjectively, but no clear preference for one or the other emerged from a consensus of the subjects. Orgasm rate was significantly related (p < 0.001) to satisfaction during intercourse and oral sex, but not during masturbation. Some evidence was found supporting the role of social learning in developing sensitivity in the clitoris and vagina and possibly the breasts.     

Menstrual cycle and work schedule: Effects on women's sexuality

Sexual interest and coital frequency reportedly fluctuate according to phases of the menstrual cycle, but attention has not been paid to factors such as wishes or fears regarding pregnancy or to the daily schedule of work vs. leisure time. With a view to simultaneous evaluation of the effects both of hormonal and social factors on sexual interest and activity, a group of women rated their level of sexual interest and frequency of coitus. Some variation in sexual interest and in the incidence of coitus during different menstrual phases was found. The incidence of coitus, however, was also affected by the work schedule with time off as a positive determinant. Present results are compared with those from a similar study of hysterectomized women in which the work schedule but not hormonal fluctuations of the ovarian cycle, influenced the likelihood of coitus.     

Prevalence of Masturbation and Associated Factors Among Older Adults in Four European Countries

Solitary sexual activity is a free, safe, and accessible way to experience sexual pleasure. Despite these advantages, research on masturbation in later life is highly understudied. Using data from a cross-sectional probability-based survey of 3816 European adults (mean age 67 years; range 60–75 years), we explored several sociodemographic, health, attitudinal, and sexual behavioral factors associated with reported masturbation frequency. Across all countries, between 41% and 65% of men and 27% and 40% of women reported any masturbation in the preceding month. Satisfaction with sexual activity and attitudes related to disapproval of sex without love were significant predictors of reported masturbation in almost all countries and in both genders. Age, education, self-perceived health, and depression were for the most part predictive of men’s reported masturbation, but not women’s. Generally, those believing sex is beneficial to older people were more likely to masturbate, while less permissive attitudes decreased the likelihood of reporting masturbation. To improve healthy sexual aging, misinformation about masturbation and sexual attitudes in older people need to be addressed.

     

Attitudinal and experiential correlates of anorgasmia

Twenty-four orgasmic and 10 anorgasmic women, ages 21–40, provided continuous self-report measures of sexual arousal while viewing explicit videotape segments depicting a variety of sexual activities. They also completed several questionnaires designed to assess sexual attitudes, knowledge, and guilt. As compared to the orgasmic women, the anorgasmic women reported (i) greater discomfort in communicating with a partner regarding only those sexual activities involving direct clitoral stimulation, (ii) more negative attitudes toward masturbation, (iii) greater endorsement of sex myths, and (iv) greater sex guilt. Contrary to expectations, the groups failed to differ significantly on either the frequency of use of any of the sexual activities depicted or on arousal to viewing these activities. The theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are explored.This research was supported in part by an NIH Biomedical Research Support Grant to the second author.     

Testosterone and Sexual Desire in Healthy Women and Men

Sexual desire is typically higher in men than in women, with testosterone (T) thought to account for this difference as well as within-sex variation in desire in both women and men. However, few studies have incorporated both hormonal and social or psychological factors in studies of sexual desire. The present study addressed how three psychological domains (sexual–relational, stress–mood, body–embodiment) were related to links between T and sexual desire in healthy adults and whether dyadic and solitary desire showed associations with T. Participants (n = 196) were recruited as part of the Partnering, Physiology, and Health study, which had 105 men and 91 women who completed questionnaires and provided saliva for cortisol and T assays. T was positively linked to solitary desire in women, with masturbation frequency influencing this link. In contrast, T was negatively correlated with dyadic desire in women, but only when cortisol and perceived social stress were controlled. Replicating past findings, no significant correlations between T and desire in men were apparent, but these analyses showed that the null association remained even when psychological and confound variables were controlled. Men showed higher desire than women, but masturbation frequency rather than T influenced this difference. Results were discussed in terms of challenges to assumptions of clear links between T and desire, gendered approaches to T, and the unitarity of desire.     

Electrical stimulation (ES) in the management of sexual pain disorders

We performed an open study to investigate the use of electrical stimulation (ES) on the vestibular area and vaginal introitus in women with sexual pain disorders. We recruited 29 women (age range 20-45 years) from among the patients at our Reproductive Psychobiology Unit to participate in the present study. They each experienced vestibular pain, inducing dyspareunia and vaginism. We performed ES with an ECL43400 apparatus (Elite, EssediEsse srl, Milan, Italy) once a week for 10 weeks. To evaluate the muscular activity of the perineal floor and sexual function, we employed the same apparatus with a vaginal probe for recording myoelectrical activity (muV), we employed a VAS scale for evaluating pain, and we administered the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI; Rosen et al., 2000) before and after the study protocol. We analyzed data by parametric and nonparametric comparisons and correlations, as appropriate. Our major findings were as follows: (a) the contractile ability of pelvic floor muscles (p < 0.001), as well as the resting ability (p < 0.001), significantly improved following ES; (b) the current intensity tolerated significantly increased (p < 0.001) throughout the study, from 41.3 +/- 7.4 mA at the start of the study to 50 +/- 7.4 mA at the end of the stimulation protocol; (c) the Visual Analogic Scale (VAS) for pain significantly declined (p < 0.001), whereas FSFI pain scores (p < 0.001) and full scale scores (p < 0.001) significantly improved following ES, and 4 out of 9 women with vaginism went back to coital activity; (d) FSFI pain score and the current intensity tolerated, both before (R = .59; p < 0.006) and at the end (R = .53; p < 0.02) of the stimulation protocol, positively correlated. ES may be effective in the management of sexual pain disorders. Further controlled studies are necessary to standardize stimulation protocols according to the severity of pain and to better clarify the long-term clinical effects of ES.     

Sexual positions and sexual satisfaction of pregnant women

The purpose of this study was to investigate the sexual positions and sexual satisfaction of women during pregnancy. The authors sampled pregnant women (N = 215) from outpatients registered at the antepartum clinic of a medical center in northern Taiwan. The authors gathered data on recent sexual satisfaction, general sexual satisfaction, and sexual position using a self-report, structured questionnaire. The results showed that coital frequency decreased from the first to third trimester (p < .05). The most common sexual position for pregnant women (67.6%) was man on top, face-to-face. Sexual position did not change significantly by trimester. More women with more sexual satisfaction than women with poor sexual satisfaction tended to adopt the woman-on-top, face-to-face, and abdominal-supportive sexual positions.     

Masturbation prohibition in sex offenders: A crossover study

Some self-help groups for individuals with aberrant sexual interests (e.g., Sexaholics Anonymous and Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous) maintain that a period of “sexual sobriety” is necessary for treatment. The hypothesis was tested that sexual urges during a 30-day period of voluntary abstinence from masturbation would be less frequent and intense than during a period when masturbation was not avoided. Outpatient pedophiles were randomly assigned to either refrain from masturbating or make no attempt to alter their masturbation frequency for a period of 30 days. All participants were crossed over to the other treatment condition at the start of the 2nd month. Sexual urges and behavior were measured using weekly self-reports. A repeated measures ANOVA failed to show a difference in reported intensity of sexual urges,F(7, 91)=1.15,p=0.34; masturbation urges,F(7, 91)=1.73,p-0.11; adult sex urges,F(7, 91)=1.82,p=0.09; or child sex urges,F(7, 91) =1.58,p=0.15, in Masturbation Allowed vs. Masturbation Not Allowed conditions. Of 17 participants, 3 (18%) were able to retain completely from masturbating for 1 month, 4 participants (25%) thought it was helpful not to masturbate; 1 participant (7%) thought therapists should recommend avoidance of masturbation. This study suggests that sexual sobriety from masturbation does not aid in the control of pedophilic fantasies. This may be because the technique is ineffective, or because so few participants are willing to engage in it.     

Sexual behavior of women with repeated episodes of vulvovaginal candidiasis

One hundred and two women with a history of a median of six episodes of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and 204 age-matched controls participated in a structured in-depth interview on sexual behavior. Mean and median ages of the two groups were 26.7 and 26 years, respectively. Sexual characteristics, associated with VVC in crude analyses, were adjusted in multifactorial analyses for coital frequency, experience of casual sex, vaginal irritation, smoking, alcohol habits, and having a steady partner. In addition, education, as a measure of socioeconomic status, was added in the multifactorial analyses. VVC was not associated with multiple sexual partners or ever-experience of causal sex. Sexual variables that remained significant or were of borderline significance after adjustment were: age at first intercourse (p=0.001), casual sex partners the previous month (odds ratio (OR)=3.1), sex during menstruation (OR=1.7), regular oral sex (OR=2.4), experience of anal intercourse ever (OR=2.4), oral intercourse the last month (OR=3.1), and frequency of oral intercourse (p=0.02). Thus, the study indicates that certain sexual activities are associated with repeated episodes of VVC.     

Sexual Media Use by Young Adults in Hong Kong: Prevalence and Associated Factors

The prevalence of sexual media use, and factors associated with it, among Chinese young adults were studied in Hong Kong. Questions on use of sexual media were asked as part of a youth sexuality study conducted by the Family Planning Association in 1996. In a population-based cross-sectional study, 517 men and 447 women aged 18–27 years completed an anonymous structured self-administered questionnaire. The overall prevalence [95% confidence interval (CI)] of ever purchased or rented any type of sexual media was 57.8% (54.7–60.9). More men (70.2%; 95% CI: 66.3–74.2) than women (43.4%; 95% CI: 38.8–48.0) used sexual media. Of 31 independent variables tested by stepwise logistic regression, seven variables significantly predicted sexual media use: age (adjusted odds ratio OR = 1.5 for 21–24 and 1.8 for 25–28, versus 20 or below), male gender (OR = 3.0), number of sexual partner (OR = 2.2 for one and 2.8 for two or more partners), masturbation in the past week (OR = 3.2), being out of school (OR = 1.5), quarrel with family member in past 6 months (OR = 1.8), and religion (OR = 1.6 for no religion and 3.4 for traditional Chinese religion, versus Christians) (all adjusted OR:p < 0.05).     

Sexual daydreams and quantitative aspects of sexual activity: Some relations for males across adulthood

Sexual daydreams were measured using the Imaginal Processes Inventory, while retrospective data on number of coital partners, frequency of intercourse in early marriage, and quantity of sexual activity experienced between 20 and 40 years of age were obtained by interview. The 277 men studied ranged from 24 to 91 years. The frequency and intensity of sexual daydreams declined with increasing age, and after age 65 virtually disappeared. The occurrence of sexual daydreams varied directly with each of the three behavioral indicators of sexual vigor for all age groups through age 64. The results are seen as supportive of the current concerns explanation of daydreaming production.     

Prevalence of Masturbation and Associated Factors in a British National Probability Survey

A stratified probability sample survey of the British general population, aged 16 to 44 years, was conducted from 1999 to 2001 (N = 11,161) using face-to-face interviewing and computer-assisted self-interviewing. We used these data to estimate the population prevalence of masturbation, and to identify sociodemographic, sexual behavioral, and attitudinal factors associated with reporting this behavior. Seventy-three percent of men and 36.8% of women reported masturbating in the 4 weeks prior to interview (95% confidence interval 71.5%–74.4% and 35.4%–38.2%, respectively). A number of sociodemographic and behavioral factors were associated with reporting masturbation. Among both men and women, reporting masturbation increased with higher levels of education and social class and was more common among those reporting sexual function problems. For women, masturbation was more likely among those who reported more frequent vaginal sex in the last four weeks, a greater repertoire of sexual activity (such as reporting oral and anal sex), and more sexual partners in the last year. In contrast, the prevalence of masturbation was lower among men reporting more frequent vaginal sex. Both men and women reporting same-sex partner(s) were significantly more likely to report masturbation. Masturbation is a common sexual practice with significant variations in reporting between men and women.     

Treatment of secondary orgasmic dysfunction: An outcome study

This study investigated the differential effectiveness of various treatment formats for 55 couples in which the woman reported secondary orgasmic dysfunction (defined as the inability of the woman to reach orgasm during intercourse, with or without clitoral stimulation, more than 50% of the time for the last 5 months). Couples received two 2-hr sessions of sexual reeducation and were then assigned into one of four treatment conditions (a communication skills format, a sexual skills format, one of two combination formats) or into one of two control conditions (an attention-comparison control condition which consisted of didactic presentations, or a waiting-list control condition). Treatment was conducted by one of two female clinical psychologists in groups of between four to six couples. No significant differences were found between the different treatment conditions at the posttest or at the 6-month follow-up. Statistical comparisons conducted between the combined treatment and combined control conditions showed that the couples who received treatment reported significantly less overall sexual dissatisfaction and significantly greater sexual harmony at the posttest; however, these differences became nonsignificant at the follow-up. In comparison with the women in the control conditions, a significantly greater number of women who received treatment reached or exceeded the project's 50% criterion for coital orgasmic functioning at the posttest; however, these differences became nonsignificant at the follow-up. Couples who reported less relationship adjustment prior to treatment showed greater overall gains in coital orgasmic frequency than couples who reported better relationship adjustment.This study is part of an investigation funded by NIMH Grant #MH32241.     

Controlled studies on women presenting with sexual drive disorder: I. Endocrine status

A single mid-cycle blood sample was obtained from 15 premenopausal female patients presenting with lifelong absence of sexual drive and from a control group of women with intact sexual drive. Serum levels of testosterone, 5-dihydrotestosterone (5-DHT), 17 beta oestradiol, sex hormone binding globulin, and prolactin were measured and indices of free testosterone and 5-DHT were derived. During the menstrual cycle in which the blood samples were obtained, the study subjects kept a diary of their sexual desire and activities. The only endocrine parameter that is significantly different between the two groups is free testosterone, which is lower in the patients than in the control women. Associations between endocrine parameters and indices of sexual behavior were examined. In the control group, average daily sexual thoughts correlates positively with total testosterone, free testosterone index, and free 5-DHT. Feeling of "need for sex" correlates positively with free 5-DHT index and free testosterone index. Experience of sexual thoughts correlates with need for sex, and average frequency of masturbation correlates negatively with age. In both groups, average coital frequency correlates with free testosterone index.