Orgasm gap: new studies point to communication and relationships as the key

The so-called orgasm gap – women reach climax less often than men during sex with a partner – is the subject of two new journal articles. A University of Basel team led by Lenya Koechlin analysed data from an anonymous online survey conducted between July 2021 and April 2022 in the journal Sex Roles (online since 16 September). It covered 2,272 heterosexual participants, 75.7 per cent of them women, mostly from Switzerland (73.3 per cent) and the EU. The researchers put the gap in partnered sex at 37.9 per cent, compared with just 3.1 per cent in masturbation. Women were also 26.8 per cent less satisfied with their orgasm frequency than men.

In the Basel data, women reached orgasm more often when they were older, had sex more often and more desire, were in a committed relationship and communicated openly with their partner. Anatomical knowledge helped only during solo sex. The authors conclude that biological differences play no relevant role. A study from Italy led by Cristina Civilotti (University of Turin) in Sexuality & Culture, reported by PsyPost on 5 October, points in the same direction: among 579 heterosexual adults in stable relationships, men reported orgasm more often, and age, education, employment or parenthood did not explain the gap. For women, orgasm frequency was moderately linked to sexual satisfaction and affectionate touch; for men, hardly at all.

Both studies have limits: they are cross-sectional surveys based on self-reports and cannot prove cause and effect. The Basel sample is a convenience sample of young, well-educated people (59.4 per cent with a university degree). The Turin participants were partly recruited through sexology centres, were mostly middle-aged and in long relationships; orgasm frequency was measured with a single question, and LGBTQ+ people were excluded. According to PsyPost, the gender difference in the link with relationship quality was also not statistically significant. No funding information was available in the sources reviewed.