Women who come too soon: Female Premature Orgasm

The Female Premature Orgasm (aka FPO) is an almost unknown phenomena in scientific literature. In the ‘Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry’ – a textbook by Kaplan and Sadock – exactly two lines have been dedicated to it. And even then the female premature orgasm is referred to as ‘a not further specified sexual disorder’. So what is female premature orgasm? How often does it occur? And how can you deal with it? NBRPlaza figured it out.

Science and the female premature orgasm

Whatever it is, a premature orgasm is a common subject on the internet. In forums and even in porn it appeals to the imagination. According to 2011 research among 510 Portugese women, 40% of all sexual active women has experienced a premature orgasm in their lives. Almost 17% experienced this frequently. But only 3.3% ticked all the boxes for premature orgasms as a disorder.

Next to this Portugese research, there is also a 2005 study from the University of Chicago’s that mentions it. Their research shows that 10% of all women comes too soon at some point. And another 2016 research shows that 3.9% of all women between the age of 16 and 21 have had a premature orgasm in the previous year.

What is a female premature orgasm?

Women who experience a premature orgasm, often climax through very little stimulation. Even long before the intercourse starts, they have reach theirs. This could lead to a point where they have little or no interest in going along with sexual activities, while their partner is even hardly turned on. These women might even experience an orgasm when they are making out.

The women in the Portugese research that suffered from premature orgasms, say it could come because they hadn’t had sex for a long time. The thought of having sex had turned them on so much, they almost immediately came when they started to make love.

The consequences of female premature orgasms

For the small group of women, who basically always come too soon, this could certainly be problematic. It could stand in the way of a relationship.

A chronic female premature orgasm, typifies by unwanted orgasms that consequent happen with each sexual interaction, and the negative feelings associated with it. Women who suffer from this form, often have to decide to either stop making love, or continue without much desire until their partner also come.

When a woman has had an orgasm, the clitoris can be extremely sensitive. Continuing having sex can indeed be painful.

Unfortunately, little to none scientific research has been done and therefor there is also no (proven) therapy. That’s why women are sometimes treated with the same therapy as men who suffer from premature ejaculation. Sometimes a form of edging is applied. And sometimes so called ‘serotonin reuptake inhibitors’ (SSRIs) are prescribed. These are drugs that are prescribed for depressions, but with a side effect to delay orgasms.

Sex therapists sometimes also suggest to masturbate more often, so the woman gets better acquainted with her own body and can feel the orgasm comming so she can anticipate.

When you have had your orgasm too soon, and yet you do want to continue, it might help to pause for a moment, so the clitoris doesn’t get over simulated.

Or is it a matter of attitude?

There are also therapists that say that the time it takes to orgasm, should never be a criterion to see something as a disorder. They believe that it is more of a cultural thing. Apparently we define sex as that moment where the penis is hard and penetrates the vagina. We jump to judgement when women and men come before the penetration has actually begun. But that is actually a very narrow definition of sex, focusing on reproduction.

When you start to have sex with a different mindset and expectation, that already can be a solution. Why should we have to reach a mutual and simultaneous orgasm? In case of a premature orgasm, one could ask ‘for whom was it premature?’ For the person that had an orgasm, or for the partner? Or for what is socially desirable?

If one of the partners has had a premature orgasm (and therefor has no interest in penetration), she could also try to satisfy her partner by hand or through oral sex. Partners of women (and men) that have premature orgasms, seldom complain on the lack of endurance. More often they find it more annoying that they don’t get any attention.