Birthgasm

Who said that orgasm and childbirth were two incompatible words? As surprising as it may seem, it is possible for some women to have an orgasm or at least to take a lot of pleasure during their childbirth (probably mixed with pain, it all depends on each person's experience). We will explain everything to you…

What is Birthgasm?

By “birthgasm” understand orgasmic childbirth or even obstetric orgasm, in good French. It is quite simply a female orgasm in the first sense of the term, which occurs during childbirth. Very few studies have been carried out on this subject, it is a phenomenon that is still relatively unknown to the general public, and which affects few women a priori.
According to a 2013 study by psychologist and sexologist Thierry Postel, conducted with 956 midwives, only 0.3% of women had an orgasm during childbirth.
An orgasmic birth still remains a fairly isolated event.

Why do some women reach orgasm during childbirth?

As the subject has not been explored in depth, there are no really precise explanations, the only possible explanation is purely anatomical. The contraction of the uterus and perineum can cause intense pleasure in women. The roots of the clitoris surround the entrance to the vagina, we can deduce that the clitoral area is stimulated during the passage of the baby.
Some specialists believe that obstetric pleasure could be explained by neuroendocrine cells, but the influence of hormones has not yet been fully demonstrated.
Other specialists believe that the simple fact of thinking about having pleasure during childbirth is unthinkable for women due to the very medical side of pregnancy.

Masturbation during childbirth, a real taboo?

In certain societies, erotic and maternal functions are dissociated. Even today we are still far from imagining with kindness a woman who masturbates in the work room. This is because masturbating during childbirth exposes a taboo: “the sexuality of parents must never be linked to the children”. Overall, if you are in your role as parents you cannot have sexual practice or pleasure, you are a parent that's all.
This taboo is unfortunately well established in morals and it is still difficult to change mentalities.

Orgasm, a painkiller during childbirth

Stimulation of the sexual organs , and potentially orgasm, represent a natural alternative to reduce pain related to childbirth.
A study from Rutgers University published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine indicates that female orgasm was able to increase pain tolerance. Indeed, orgasm increases the production of oxytocin (the love hormone) and endorphin (the happiness hormone).
Orgasm during childbirth is more likely to occur when there is no epidural because under an epidural the nerve endings in the clitoris are less sensitive.
NB: You are obviously free to choose to give birth with or without an epidural, we are not here to encourage you to do anything, we are just here to inform.
There are many other ways to experience a pleasant birth: adopting physiological positions, massages, acupuncture, sophrology, hypnosis…

Is it impossible to escape pain when you're a woman?

Does a woman necessarily have to suffer when she gives birth? This is what Judeo-Christian beliefs have implied: “ You will give birth in pain ”.
According to Marie-Hélène Lahaye, we can talk about the psychological dimension of pain in women: “Women are taught that they will have pain during their periods, during their first intercourse. There is a very strong dolorism. On the contrary, among men it is “not even afraid, not even bad”. This question of pain is also a gender construction”.
When you think about it, it's true that women are often exposed to a risk of pain at each stage of their intimacy, so if there are means, and moreover natural ones, to alleviate it, why deprive yourself of them?

Lara