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ORGASMS 227

Sexual arousal response cycle

The sexual arousal response cycle has four stages.

1. Excitement 2. Plateau 3. Orgasm 4. Resolution
When a person is sexually Now the buttocks tighten, At this stage, oxytocin and After sex has finished,
stimulated, blood flow to and breathing and heart rate dopamine are released into the body returns to
the genitals increases, remain rapid. In males, the the brain, causing feelings functioning as normal,
muscles tense, and the heart head of the penis swells and of pleasure. Ejaculation but there is often a feeling
rate rises. In males, the penis the testicles pull towards the usually occurs in males, and of relaxation or fatigue.
becomes erect and the body. In females, the vagina sometimes in females. Some
testicles swell. In females, and clitoris begin to contract people experience orgasms
vaginal lubrication begins. rhythmically. This extends to just in the sex organs, others
the brink of an orgasm. over the whole body.

Male and female orgasms Male and female ejaculation
Men and women experience orgasms in similar ways, although Ejaculation is a reflex action that
there are key differences in the length, ejaculation, and recovery period. accompanies an orgasm. It’s the
release of fluid from the genitals.

The male orgasm Male ejaculation
• Hand and feet muscles begin to spasm. This is the release of semen from the penis
during orgasm. Semen contains the germ
• Rhythmic contractions at the base of the penis, 4–6 times cell, sperm, which is produced and stored
per orgasm, result in the ejaculation of semen from the penis.
in the testicles. The tubes that store and
• While most males experience orgasm as a result of sex, it’s important transport semen contract to squeeze the
to remember that some partners require additional stimulation. fluid towards the base of the penis. Then,
muscles at the base of the penis contract
• About half of the erection is lost immediately,
and it goes down altogether soon after. and push the semen out of the penis. In
some males, the semen spurts out, in
• After males experience an orgasm, it is usually not others it dribbles out. Both are normal.
possible for them to get an erection again for a while.

The female orgasm Female ejaculation
• Muscle contractions occur in the vagina, pelvic floor, This is the involuntary release of fluid during
anus, and uterus, typically 6–10 times per orgasm. or before orgasm. Some researchers think
the fluid includes some urine, but it’s
• It may take a prolonged period of sexual stimulation
before females experience an orgasm during sex. important not to worry about this – it is
normal and natural. Whether a woman
• Although some females orgasm as a result of vaginal sex, ejaculates or not, it doesn’t affect the
for many others it requires a variety of forms of stimulation intensity of an orgasm. The amount of fluid
of the genitals in addition to, or instead of, vaginal sex. involved also varies from person to person.
• Females can have a succession of orgasms.

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