Study shows four in five women can’t orgasm from penetrative sex

SHE might make the right sounds in the right places, but a new study shows four in five women actually don’t orgasm from sex. Don’t stress though — science has your back.

There are a lot of things researchers are yet to discover about the female body. Picture: iStock

GENTLEMEN, we need to talk about your performance in the bedroom.

Chances are you think you’re pretty good at sex, and your clever partner probably makes all the right sounds in all the right places so your ego gets a boost.

Yup, there’s a fair chance she’s faking it.

A study from the United States has revealed four in five women — 81.6 per cent, to be precise — actually don’t orgasm from penetrative sex.

That’s not to say women don’t enjoy the missionary position; just that in most cases, it’s not going to get her rocks off.

It’s a huge contrast to men, who typically orgasm 95 per cent of the time.

The research, conducted by Indiana University’s School of Public Health and published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, aimed to fill the gap between public understanding of female orgasms and actual science.

“The study results challenge the mistaken, but common, notion that there are universal ‘sex moves that work’ for everyone,” said author Brian Dodge.

“On the other hand, the data also make clear that there are certain styles of touch that are more commonly preferred by women, emphasising the value of studying sexual pleasure — and not just sexual problems”.

About four in five women actually don’t orgasm from penetrative sex. Picture: iStock

Researchers spoke to a representative sample of 1055 women between the ages of 18 and 94, and recorded their preferences for the pressure, shape and pattern of touch that has the highest chance of causing an orgasm.

Data proved that just 18.4 per cent of women were able to orgasm from penetrative sex, whereas almost three quarters revealed they much preferred clitoral stimulation.

Sexologist Dr Nikki Goldstein told news.com.au it’s important to consider the findings in relation to our society’s religious and cultural values.

“I believe the fact that 80 per cent of women prefer having clitoral orgasms doesn’t mean they can’t have a (vaginal) orgasm, just that one is easier than the other,” she said.

“We are a penetrative society. It stems from religion, that sex is primarily to procreate, and that's the way to do it.

“Therefore, we’re brought up with the idea that sex means a penis into a vagina, but those views don’t necessarily coincide with our anatomy.

“Do we educate women? Yes, but we also need to educate men.”

She said the reality is sex is so much more than just intercourse.

There's a lot science is yet to reveal about the female sexual body. Picture: iStock

“Men’s egos are attached to their ability to give a woman an orgasm. There's a few things wrong with that, because women need to be in charge of their sexual pleasure as well, but some guys are getting things wrong in the first place.

“The clitoris makes it easier to have orgasms, but it also takes away from the penis. Men are, of course, really attached to their penises.

“We need to educate both genders as to what orgasms mean for women.”

However, thought she said studies such as this may effect change for a small percentage of the population, she doesn’t expect mainstream bedroom habits to change any time soon.

“It will come from those who are open-minded enough to consider this information.

“At want point do we say we’re all having good sex? For our lives, we’ll all be on a hamster wheel looking for sexual pleasure.

“There’s a lot we’re yet to discover about the female body.”

Listen to Dr Nikki’s Sex and Life podcast here.

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Originally published as Study shows four in five women can’t orgasm from penetrative sex