A number of studies have reported that some women are capable of experiencing orgasm, and perhaps an ejaculation of fluid, when an area along the anterior (front) wall of the vagina is vigorously stimulated (Levin, 2003a; Whipple & Komisaruk, 1999). This area of erotic sensitivity, mentioned in Chapter 3, has been named the Grafenberg spot (or G-spot) in honor of Ernest Grafenberg (1950), a gynecologist who first noted the erotic significance of this location in the vagina almost 60 years ago. It has been suggested that the G-spot is not a point that can be touched by the tip of one finger but rather is a fairly large area composed of the front wall of the vagina and the underlying urethra and surrounding glands (Skene’s glands; Song et al., 2009). Recent research utilizing MRI technology identified a G-spot in six of seven women in the study group (Wimpissinger et al., 2009).
The G-spot can be located by systematic palpation of the entire front wall of the vagina. Two fingers are usually used, and it is often necessary to press deeply into the tissue to reach
the spot. This exploration can be conducted by a woman’s partner, as shown in I Figure 6.5. Some women are able to locate their G-spot through self-exploration.
G-spot orgasms are sometimes accompanied by the ejaculation of fluid from the urethral opening (Schubach, 1996; Whipple, 2000). Research indicates that the source of this fluid may be the "female prostate," discussed in Chapter 3. The ducts from this system empty directly into the urethra. In some women, G-spot orgasms result in fluid being forced through these ducts and out the urethra. In view of the homologous nature of G-spot tissue and the male prostate, we can speculate that the female ejaculate is similar to the prostatic component of male seminal fluid (Zaviacic & Whipple, 1993). This notion has been supported by research in which specimens of female ejaculate were chemically analyzed and found to contain high levels of an enzyme, prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP), characteristic of the prostatic component of semen (Addiego et al., 1981; Belzer et al., 1984).
One final point regarding the G-spot should be noted. Some medical practitioners are now providing G-spot amplification, which involves injecting the G-spot with collagen to allegedly produce a temporary enhancement of sexual arousal and response (Wendling, 2007). We caution readers to avoid this procedure in light of inconclusive supporting data and the potential for serious complications, including infections, scarring, altered sensation, and painful coitus (Campos, 2008; Wendling, 2007).
From a broader perspective, we encourage our readers to think critically about the many unsubstantiated claims made by surgeons touting genital cosmetic surgery and the increasing number of websites that misinform women about what is considered normal female genital anatomy. Dr. Leonore Tiefer (2011), noted sexologist, is an outspoken critic of these phony claims for procedures that border on female genital mutilation.
During the final phase of the sexual response cycle, resolution, the sexual systems return to their nonexcited state. If no additional stimulation occurs, the resolution begins immediately after orgasm. Some of the changes back to a nonexcited state take place rapidly, whereas others occur more slowly. The following two self-reports, the first by a man and the second by a woman, provide some indication of how people vary in their feelings after orgasm:
These subjective reports sound similar. But one significant difference exists in the responses
of women and men during this phase: their physiological readiness for further sexual
refractory period stimulation. After orgasm the male typically enters a refractory period—a time when no
The period of time following orgasm amount of additional stimulation will result in orgasm. The length of this period ranges in the male, during which he cannot
from minutes to days, depending on a variety of factors, such as age, frequency of previous
experience another orgasm.
sexual activity, and the degree of the mans emotional closeness to and sexual desire for his partner. In contrast to men, women generally experience no comparable refractory period. They are physiologically capable of returning to another orgasmic peak from anywhere in the resolution phase. However, a woman may or may not want to do so. In the last two sections of this chapter, we discuss the effects of aging on sexual arousal and response and then consider some differences between men’s and womens patterns of sexual response.