Despite its neuroendocrine and muscular complexity, the male orgasm can be described as a series of contractile movements that culminate in a sudden sensation of intense pleasure. This is accompanied by ejaculation, a strong release of fluid that propels sperm into the vagina. For men, orgasm is necessary for ejaculation, but women do not need it to produce the 300 eggs they generate throughout their fertile lives or to give birth. So, what is the function of the female orgasm from an evolutionary perspective? While it has been both a social taboo and a biological mystery, some evidence sheds light on this question.
What Do Scientists and Non-Scientists Say?
In his book Solitary Sex, Berkeley professor Thomas Laqueur asserts that "from ancient times until the 19th century, it was widely believed that women experienced orgasm just like men and that orgasm was necessary for conception." While the first part is absolutely true, the second is incorrect. This was highlighted in 1967 by zoologist Desmond Morris in The Naked Ape, and later supported by research from Masters and Johnson based on 10,000 human sexual acts (human sexuality). Their studies confirmed that, in most cases, the female orgasm is triggered by clitoral stimulation, a region that is not touched by the penis during intercourse and therefore does not play a role in fertilization.
Stephen Jay Gould argued that since it is crucial for sperm to reach the eggs, and a male orgasm is sufficient for this, the female orgasm should be seen as "superfluous" — a kind of evolutionary accident, a byproduct of the need for the male orgasm. According to Gould, the female orgasm exists simply because the clitoris is the anatomical equivalent of the penis (both have the same embryonic origin). For this reason, stimulation, erection, and orgasm occur in both cases. For Gould, the clitoral orgasm is a developmental artifact without adaptive significance.
The idea of an "evolutionary byproduct" comes from Darwin, who saw it as a trait borrowed from another function. Male nipples are a prime example. We possess them because we share the same initial architecture as women, a design based on a common embryonic blueprint until testosterone and estrogen direct the undifferentiated fetus toward one sex or the other. While female nipples serve the purpose of breastfeeding, male nipples are a byproduct without adaptive value.
How Does Orgasm Occur?
To start, both sexes have developed a pleasure response to sex. This pleasure is the immediate incentive for sexual activity, whose ultimate goal is reproductive success. When we also consider the physiological responses characterizing the female orgasm, the evolutionary argument becomes less convincing. Escort girls from the https://dubaiescorts.one website usually experience a real orgasm during sex with their clients.
During orgasm, both sexes experience a significant increase in heart rate (from 70–80 to 150 beats per minute), blood pressure (from 120 to 250 mm Hg at the climax), and breathing, which becomes deeper and more rapid. Eventually, the face contorts, the mouth opens wide, and the nostrils flare, similar to athletes exerting themselves to their limits when they’re short of breath.
What distinguishes the female orgasm is a series of rhythmic contractions in the perineal, vaginal, and uterine areas. These contractions serve a sperm-absorbing function that also increases its retention within the vaginal canal. This is why the most supported evolutionary hypothesis among scientists is that the female orgasm plays a role in sperm retention within the female reproductive tract.
Finally, considering that orgasm is followed by significant exhaustion and sleep, it can be concluded that another adaptive function of the female orgasm may be to encourage rest after intercourse. This promotes sperm retention and, thus, increases a woman’s chances of fertilization.