{"id":48409,"date":"2026-03-31T12:30:39","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T10:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lelo.com\/blog\/?p=48409"},"modified":"2026-06-28T22:06:27","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T20:06:27","slug":"female-orgasmic-disorder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lelo.com\/blog\/female-orgasmic-disorder\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Female Orgasmic Disorder"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"dr<\/a><\/p>\n

Female Orgasmic Disorder is a surprisingly common condition clinically defined as a persistent reduction or complete inability to experience orgasm. <\/span><\/p>\n

Difficulty with orgasming is the second most common concern women bring to health providers. We don\u2019t really know how many women suffer from this, as statistics vary widely and indeed, one source compiling data said that the range varies from eight to 72%. According to a <\/span>2020<\/span> paper published in the <\/span>International Society for Sexual Medicine<\/span><\/i><\/a>, up to 28% of women in the United States and up to 46% in countries across Asia are affected by this disorder.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Symptoms and Signs of Orgasmic Disorder<\/span><\/h2>\n

The <\/span>International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision<\/span> defines female orgasmic disorder as \u201ca persistent or recurrent delay in or absence of orgasm despite normal sexual excitement and adequate stimulation.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It also says that for a diagnosis, psychological factors should be a prominent cause of the problem. <\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

However, many women come to clinicians with orgasm problems that don\u2019t meet these criteria but who still need help. For example, a woman may come to a sex therapist for lack of orgasm and the cause may be inadequate stimulation.\u00a0 Likewise, someone may have a lack of orgasm due to a medical condition.<\/p>\n

Likewise, some women come to clinicians having never had an orgasm and others come because they used to orgasm and no longer do.<\/p>\n

What is a Female Orgasm? (And How It Works)<\/span><\/h2>\n

Before we dive into why orgasms may <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> be happening, let\u2019s quickly explain what an orgasm is. It is the <\/span>peak of sexual arousal. An orgasm involves an automatic body response. It includes many\u00a0 physical changes (e.g., changes in pupil size and increased blood pressure) and the release of feel-good messengers in the brain (neurotransmitters) like dopamine and oxytocin. \u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

It also involves the erectile tissue in our genitals (which are mainly on the inner clitoris) engorging with blood. This buildup feels great. Orgasm includes the trapped blood being released by contractions of the pelvic floor muscles. <\/span><\/p>\n

Importantly, these contractions feel fantastic. Sometimes, women also ejaculate and squirt during orgasm. <\/span>\u00a0Female orgasms can last from about 13 to 51 seconds, compared to male orgasms, which average from 10 to 30 seconds. <\/span><\/p>\n

Why It Happens: Physical, Psychological, and Social Factors<\/span><\/h2>\n

Physical reasons for Female Orgasmic Disorder<\/span><\/h3>\n