Women's
sexual anatomy 1: The vulva, vagina and
G-spot
Women's
sexual organs are, apart from the breasts,
not very visible, and are mostly located
inside the body. Somehow, there also seems
to be less clarity about what the different
parts are and how they work compared to men.
This is especially true for the G-spot and
female erectile tissues, the very existence
of which is questioned by some people.
Let's
start with the visible bits, which are
called the vulva (or pudendum) in women.
First is the mons pubis, or mound of Venus.
In adult women this is the area above the
genitals which is covered in pubic hair.
Underneath the skin are layers of fatty
tissue which absorb and cushion some of the
pressure during intercourse.
Further
down lie two sets of skin folds, which
surround the vaginal opening. The outside
set of skin folds, or labia majora (a single
one is known as a labium majus), are covered
with pubic hair on the outside and are made
up of a large bulk of fatty tissue. They
contain oil and sweat glands, which help to
keep the area moist on the inside. The labia
majora are derived from the same fetal
tissue as the male scrotum.
The
next set of skin folds, which protect the
vaginal opening, are the labia minora
(singular: labium minus). These smaller
labia do not have hair or contain fatty
tissue, and they have only a few sweat
glands. What they do contain is erectile
tissue and oil glands. During sexual arousal
the labia minora will fill with blood and
change size and color. They are derived from
the tissues which go on to build the spongy
penile urethra in male babies.
The
clitoris is located at the junction of the
labia minora. It's
a small, two or three cm long cylindrical
body which is doubled over on itself. Like
the glans of the penis in men it is made up
of erectile tissue and full of nerve
endings. The clitoris enlarges during sex
and is the focus of much of the sexual
stimulation registered by a woman's brain. A
layer of skin called the "hood" or
"prepuce", which is formed from
the joining of the labia minora, covers the
clitoris, though it can be pushed back to
reveal the shiny surface of the clitoral
glans. The clitoris can be extremely
sensitive to touch, especially friction,
which can result in pain rather than
pleasure if a woman is not sexually aroused.
Touch becomes more pleasurable when the
tissues are aroused and filled with blood, a
fact which is true of much of the female
genitals. As with other parts of the
female body, the genitals are really
individual in their shape, size and look.
There is no standard way your genitals need
to look - whatever they look like, they are
OK as they are, and like millions of other
women's.
The
area between the labia minora is called the
vestibule. It contains the vaginal opening,
the external opening of the urethra (the
outlet through which you pee), and the
openings for the paraurethral and greater
vestibular glands, plus a few other smaller
glands as well. The opening of the urethra
lies above the vaginal opening and below the
clitoris. You may not be able to see this
small opening, but you might be able to feel
it when you touch it: the sensations
connected with it are similar to those
associated with peeing. And even if you
don't find it, looking for it can be a
pretty pleasurable endeavor! (Use of a
mirror and a bright light are recommended
here)
The
vaginal opening leads into the muscular
cavity of the vagina. The paired
paraurethral glands, which open externally
next to the outlet of the urethra, are
derived from the same tissue as the male
prostate. The glands themselves are embedded
in the wall of the urethra. They provide
mucus as lubrication during intercourse.
Other glands, greater and lesser vestibular
glands, open up just inside the labia minora
and also provide mucus for lubrication.
The Vagina
Now
we are starting our journey into the female
body. The word vagina literally means
sheath, which is a pretty good
description of this organ. The vagina is a
long, fairly thin tube of muscles and
fibrous tissue, lined on the inside by
mucous membranes. It accommodates the penis
during intercourse and receives the
ejaculated sperm. Additionally, it's the
passage through which babies are born
(except for those which are born by
Caesarean section) and it acts as a conduit
for the discharge of the monthly menstrual
fluids from the uterus.
The
size of the vagina is very flexible: so much
so that it can accommodate almost any size
and shape of penis. It is about 10 cm long
and forms a kind of H-shaped cavity inside,
though during sexual intercourse it expands
and molds itself around the penis. The
vagina is actually quite an active organ,
since it's made up of an outer layer of
circular muscles and an inner layer of
longitudinal muscles. However, only the
first third of the vagina has plenty of
nerve endings, which leaves the inner two
thirds fairly insensitive. This is yet
another reason why "big penis"
does not equal "big thrill" for
most women.
Most
of the muscles making up the vagina are
smooth muscles, which means they are not
under conscious control (similar to the
muscles in your digestive system). However,
a woman can voluntarily contract some muscles around the
vagina which are also found in her pelvic floor:
These are
the pubococcygeus, or for short, PC muscles.
These muscles can be trained and
strengthened (see "Kegel
exercises"), which increases the
strength of a woman's orgasms and improves
the likelihood of her ejaculating during sex
(more on that under "female
ejaculation").
The
inside of the vagina is lined by a mucous
membrane which secretes a sugar called
glycogen. This provides energy for the
normal, healthy bacteria of the vagina,
which ferment the sugar and produce lactic
acid as a by-product. This lactic acid
results in the interior of the vagina being
slightly acidic, which protects it from
microbes, and also, rather oddly, sperm.
(Semen therefore has to contain substances
which neutralize the acidic environment of
the vagina.) It is important that this
natural balance of healthy bacteria is
maintained inside the vagina, otherwise a
woman may experience frequent infections
such as Candida (also known as thrush).
As
we mentioned before, the vagina opens
externally into the vestibular area. During
childhood a thin membrane called the hymen
protects the entrance to the vagina.
However, this membrane is perforated to
allow menstrual fluids to flow through. An
intact hymen has long been seen as a sign of
virginity, but it actually has a tendency to
rupture before a woman's first intercourse
during exercise or sporting activities.
However, even if it's still only partially
in place it can make the first time of
intercourse uncomfortable and produce a
little bleeding for a young woman.
Thankfully, as the obsession of the western
civilization with women's virginity has
lessened, so has the importance of the hymen
and the prevalence of the myths about the
painfulness of having it broken by the penis
during first intercourse. (Click on the
images below to enlarge them. They show the
remains of the hymen tissue around the
vaginal opening.)
At
the back end of the vagina lies the cervix,
the narrow opening of the uterus into the
vagina, situated in the front wall of the
vagina. The vagina does not lead straight
into the cervix; rather, the uterus sits
next to the vagina at a right angle to the
front and upwards from it. This arrangement
leaves a little pouch at the end of the
vagina called the fornix. The fornix is much
less sensitive than the cervix. It absorbs
the main thrusts during intercourse and
forms a reservoir for the pool of sperm
which is left behind in the vagina after a
man has ejaculated. The location of the
cervix means it is conveniently bathed
in the pool of ejaculate if the woman is
lying on her back after or during
intercourse.
The G-spot
The
G-spot is one of the parts of the female
sexual anatomy, which has been hotly debated
for a long time. It is named after the German
gynecologist Ernst Grafenberg, who found it
while looking into new methods of
contraception (that's where the G in
G-spot comes from).
The
G-spot is a particularly sensitive area in
the front wall of the vagina, often situated
quite close to the vaginal opening, but
always in the first third of the vagina.
However, it is not a single spot, but a small
area, which is more sensitive than other
parts of the vaginal wall. Deborah Sundahl,
author of the book Female Ejaculation And
The G-Spot, sees the G-spot as the area
of the vaginal wall which touches most
closely on a vast network of erectile tissue
around the vagina made up in part of a gland
which is equivalent to the prostate gland in
men (therefore she calls it the female
prostate).
Newer research (see New
Scientist 23rd of February 2008) shows that
the G-spot definitively exists and seems to
be linked to the ability to have vaginal
orgasms in women. The bad news is that it
does not show up in all women, or
potentially even the majority in women. An
Italian team of scientists found clear
anatomical evidence that women, who have
vaginal orgasms have a thicker layer of
tissue between the vagina and the urethra,
where the G-spot is said to be located.
However, it is open to debate at this point
in time whether the tissue of the G-spot
comes from a distinct anatomical source or
whether it is simply an extension of the
clitoris. Another possibility is that the
whole area, which is rich in blood vessels,
glands and muscle tissue also contains
elements of the Skene's gland, the remnant
of the embryological prostate in women.
What about the women, who do
not experience vaginal orgasms and who were
not found to have a thickened layer of
tissue between urethra and the vagina in the
Italian study? It is possible that both
options are normal, healthy variations of
female sexual anatomy and that women are
either born with a G-spot or not. On the
other hand, all women experience more
sensitivity to stimulus in this area,
whether they have vaginal orgasms or not. It
is possible that some women learn to
experience vaginal orgasms and that their
G-spots become more sensitive and enlarged
due to practice over time just like any
other muscle tissue in the body.
Despite these findings
many women and men
still doubt the existence of the G-spot
because they have exaggerated ideas about
how it should work. If you think of the
G-spot as a convenient button which you can
push at any time to be rewarded by
instantaneous, gigantic orgasms, you're only
going to be disappointed! As with other
erectile sexual tissue in women's genitals,
the area of the G-spot needs time and
stimulation to become filled with blood; it
then becomes receptive to stronger stimuli
and produces stronger, more pleasurable
sensations. The G-spot area enlarges and
protrudes more obviously into the vagina,
the more aroused and sexually excited the
tissues are. Therefore, if you want to look
for your G-spot, give it time: you need to
play with yourself for a while until
your body responds with arousal.
If you are thinking about developing your
G-spot as a woman have a look at Deborah
Sundahl's book. Completing the
Kegel
exercises on a regular basis would
strengthen all of the muscles and tissues in
and around your vagina and in your pelvic
floor. Additionally, you could massage the
area where your G-spot is located gently and
on a regular basis with a well lubricated
finger. The G-spot will be located in the
vaginal wall towards the front side of your
body, but how far inside your vagina it is
located varies in women and you will need to
experiment. When exploring you will need to
take your time so that the tissues can
become erect and your body can guide you as
to where you experience the most interesting
sensations. If you experience numbness or
unpleasant sensations when gently stroking
the upper inside wall of your vagina, stop
for a moment and check whether the rest of
your body is comfortable or tense. Try to
relax and just breath deeply for a few
moments. Let yourself know what is happening
in your body. Then see whether you want to
change your approach in any way, for example
changing the quality of your touch or using
more lubricant, before continuing. Many
women are very cut off from the sensations
in their genitals, which can then end up
feeling numb or uncomfortable. You may need
to massage your G-spot area gently over time
to nurture it back into its full capacity
for sexual sensitivity.
Other
related topics:
Female
sexual anatomy: Uterus, Fallopian Tubes and
Ovaries
Female
sex hormones and reproductive cycle
Source
for the facts cited in this page:
ABC
of Sexual Health (2005) Second edition
edited by John M Tomlinson, British Medical
Journal Books and Blackwell Publishing.
Fabled G spot traced at last (2003) Linda
Geddes, New Scientist 23rd of February, pp.
6-7
Principles
of anatomy and physiology (2000) Ninth
edition by Gerard J. Tortora and Sandra
Reynolds Grabowski. Publishers: John Wiley
and Sons
Female
ejaculation and the G-spot (2003) by Deborah
Sundahl. Hunter House Publishers
page last updated by Anna 15.6.09
|
