(010) Physiologic Response of the Pelvic Floor Muscles During Female Arousal and Orgasm: A Pilot Study
Authors: Hartmann D , Pfaus J , Wood E , Wang J , Klinger L 
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Current literature addressing women’s sexual health refers more to dysfunction than normal function. Though knowledge in neuroendocrinology and use of fMRIs has led to better understanding of how the brain and hormones interact with response to sexual function, there is a paucity of knowledge on arousal and orgasm from a physiological and functional perspective. In a review of physiologic measures in female sexual function, Woodward noted that, though the pelvic floor muscles activity with orgasm had been reported, more study was needed. He concluded that sexual research conducted in the clinical setting is not optimal as the modalities used for testing required investigators to be present to implement devices and interpret results; and that participants’ experience of elevated levels of anxiety, fear, or discomfort could influence the outcome. The Lioness Vibrator, designed and marketed as a consumer product to be used at the owners discretion, creates clitorally stimulated orgasms that are recorded automatically and downloaded to the user’s phone and a secure server of the manufacturer. The intra-vaginal Lioness measures the physiologic response of the pelvic floor muscles at rest and throughout arousal, orgasm, and recovery by utilizing pressure biofeedback technology paired with wireless Bluetooth capability. Clitoral stimulation is achieved using an external vibrator. With the afore mentioned capabilities, the Lioness Vibrator appears to be an effective method to measure the physiologic response of orgasm produced by a single variable, clitoral stimulation, without the restrictions associated with traditional clinical research.

Objective

To analyze biofeedback data through quantification of physiologic activity of pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) before, during, and after orgasm. The data was recorded by in-home users of the Lioness (“Smart Vibrator”, SmartBod Incorporated), an intravaginal, pressure biofeedback device capable of recording PFM activity at rest and in response to vibration of the glans clitoris.

Methods

Orgasmic and demographic data from 26 consenting Lioness users was collected by SmartBod and reviewed by the first author. One-hundred-sixty-two biofeedback tracings were included in the analysis of a) a two-minute PFM rest period prior to stimulation (gmf), b) time to orgasm (sec), c) peak force during orgasm (gmf), d) length of orgasm (sec), and e) two-minute PFM recovery (gmf). An algorithm developed by SmartBod was used to determine when orgasms occurred.

Results

Users ages ranged from 21 to 60; 17/26 were nulliparous. Five reported being either peri- or post-menopausal. Eleven found solo love-play less pleasurable than using the Lioness while nine thought the Lioness assisted orgasm was equal to solo stimulation. Average PFM resting tone was 40gmf (R=2-97gmf) compared to recovery at 58gmf (R=2-88gmf). Median time to reach orgasm averaged 513sec (R=27-1305sec) while length of orgasmic response was 38sec (R=19-126sec). Average peak force was 73gmf (R=17-108gmf).

Conclusions

This study highlights the variability in the reflexive PFM activity from rest to orgasm to recovery. It suggests there may be no “normal” arousal and orgasmic patterns but rather large ranges of average activity. Additional analysis and study are needed and recommended to continue the in-depth study of basic female orgasmic physiology and sexual function.

Disclosure

Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: SmartBod