Men often wonder why women fake it, but evolution is to blame. A new study reveals the difference between prehistoric and modern women when it comes to the big “O.”
A new study shows that in prehistoric times, orgasm was directly related to reproduction. A woman needed clitoral stimulation in order to release hormones that caused her to ovulate, releasing an egg that was promptly fertilized by the male’s sperm. The “feel good” hormones prolactin and oxytocin triggered ovulation. Modern rabbits, camels and cats release an egg in this manner before and during sex.
Women, however, “evolved.” The clitoris, once located inside the copulatory channel relocated outside. Women, like modern dogs, cows and rats, now ovulate during monthly cycles.
Professor Gunter Wagner, who led the study and specializes in ecology and evolutionary biology at Yale, says,
For women to not have an orgasm during intercourse is natural and requires special effort. But the important point is that there is nothing wrong with the woman nor her partners if intercourse isn’t sufficient to cause orgasm.
The researchers blame the changes in humans and primates on societal changes. When we moved from solitary creatures into established social groups, access to sex became more commonplace. The need for stimulation to reproduce became unnecessary and biological changes evolved.
Dr. Mihaela Pavlicev of the Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, who was involved in the research, says,
We think the hormonal surge characterizes a trait that we know as female orgasm in humans. This insight enabled us to trace the evolution of the trait across species. (Similar) traits in different species are often difficult to identify, as they can change substantially in the course of evolution.
There are other theories as to why women still have orgasms when they no longer perform a biological function. Maybe it encourages women to have sex and reproduce more? Perhaps it creates a stronger bond between partners so that they remain together and reproduce? Just maybe it’s a way for a woman to select a mate who offers the most satisfaction, the strongest sperm to create healthier children?
There’s no mention of having orgasm for pure enjoyment!
Wagner sums up,
Basically, we don’t know why this happened. It’s just a very strong evolutionary pattern.
It seems that women got the shaft … or not.