Who says women can’t be figured out? British geneticists are hot on the trail of unraveling one the most puzzling mysteries since Xixo found a Coke bottle in the Kalahari-the female orgasm.
Involving 4037 twins, identical and fraternal, Professor Tim Spector of St. Thomas Hospital’s Twin Research Unit in London, used questionnaires and DNA examination of the twins, aged 19 to 83.
Nice work if you can get it. “Twins, Basil!”
As only identical twins share their genetic makeup, they provide an excellent map of purely inherited features.
The research suggests evidence that the female orgasm is an evolutionary tool for mate-selection. Women who have a difficult time achieving climax in bed may be weeding out bad lovers, therefore weeding out potentially poor long-term mates.
The other theory, which many are discounting, is that orgasm promotes fertility. But scientists are saying if that were the case, then women would achieve orgasm more often.
With the selection idea, women subtly select men based on the strength, their skill and prowess in bed, and their patience. Men, who typically only need two and a half minutes to climax, may receive a favorable judgment if they can wait for the average twelve minutes it takes the woman to climax.
The study said that only 14% of the women studied achieved orgasm every time, whereas 98% of men reach orgasm every time. Thirty-two percent of the women reported never or almost never experiencing an orgasm during intercourse.
Spector guesses that genes are the greatest single factor affecting orgasm, saying that in as much as 60% of women, the ability to reach sexual climax is genetic.
Knowing these details of the matter, the research could lead to the development of orgasm drugs. Spector says, however, that there could be hundreds of genes involved and would take at least 10 years to develop the drug.