Physiology of sexual response Flashcards
What is the sexual response cycle?
Desire, excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution
What is desire?
Spontaneous sexual interest controlled by the brain, which can be triggered by sounds, smell and movement and include erotic fantasies and sexual thoughts.
What is libido?
Sex drive
What are the factors that affect arousal?
Sex (male vs female) age difference (younger people achieve arousal faster)
How can desire be influenced?
Based on societal and cultural values that determine what you value or judge as good or bad desire. Thoughts, feelings and past experiences also have an impact.
What are the physiological signs of arousal?
Raised BP, pulse rate, RR and depth of breathing. Nipple erection, genital and pelvic vascular engorgement and flushing.
What is tumescence?
Swelling of organs and structures due to increased blood flow. This occurs in the clitoris and vagina during arousal.
Female physiological response to arousal?
Breasts enlarge, nipples erect, vaginal secretions occur, clitoris and labia undergo tumescence, vasocongestion occurs, cervix elongates and widens
What is the scrotum?
Skin beind the penis covering the testicles. During arousal it enlarges and in the resolution phase, it shrinks and relaxes.
Male physiological response to arousal?
Penis erects, scrotum enlarges.
What is vasocongestion?
Swelling due to increased blood flow.
Where does production of semen occur?
Sperm - a component of semen- is produced in the testes. It travels from the testes -> epidydymis -> vas deferens -> prostate gland and seminal vesicle that produces seminal white fluid containing nutrients that nourishes sperm
What is the plateau?
Period prior to an orgasm which can last for minutes to hours and resolve without orgasm.
What is the male plateau?
Urethral sphincter contracts, cowper’s gland releases pre-ejaculation fluid, testes rise.
What is retrograde ejaculation?
Semen flow moves backward in the urethra towards the bladder when the urethra contracts. If this occurs continuously, may lead to infertility.
What is the female plateau?
Clitoris becomes sensitive and withdraws, Bartholin’s glands around the labia swell and there is an orgasmic platform.
What is an orgasmic platform?
Tissues of the outer third of the vagina and the labia minora swell and may undergo muscular contractions and reduce the diameter of the vaginal opening.
What is an orgasm?
Occurs after the plateau phase with a series of muscular contractions and peak of BP, HR and RR and contraction of the pelvic floor and anus for either sex. It releases sexual tension, endorphins. It varies with age.
What is the male orgasm?
Single resolution via ejaculation and contraction of the urethra, pelvic floor and anus.
What is the female orgasm?
Multiple orgasms can occur to and from the plateau phase. Mutile contrations of the uterus, vagina, pelvic floor and anus.
What is resolution?
Relaxation phase after orgasm- for males, there is a compulsory refractory period of rest.
What is male resolution?
Compulsory refractory period- scrotum relaxes, testes drop and nipples and penis softens.
What is female resolution?
Blood vessels dilate and pelvic organs drain and the cervix drops down into the vagina after 30 mins.
How does aging affect sex for men?
Delayed erection, less firm penis, require more excitement for erection, shorter plateau phase, less ejaculation fluid and longer refractory period.
How does aging affect sex for women?
Reduced vaginal lubrication, muscle tension, libido.
What is the measure for sexual behavior?
NATSAL-3 survey. Men generally have higher number of opposite sex partners in their lifetime, however women have had increased over time. Younger generations are likely to have had sex with opposite sex under 16 than older generations. Women are more likely to have same sex experience than men after 2001. Frequency of weekly sex has reduced. Highest number of pregannacies is 30-34 as well as being unplanned, equal to 20-24. UK has less unplanned pregannacy than the US.
What is paraphilia?
A fetish/sexual interest in an object, behaviour or interest which negatively interferes with your life.
What is hypoactive sexual desire?
Reduced libido which is more common in women.
What are the types of hypoactive sexual desire?
Lifestyle- always present
Acquired situational;- used to have interest in sexual partner but now doesn’t but still has sexual interest for other people/alone
Acquired general- used to have interest in sexual partner but doesn’t have sexual interest even when alone or other people
What factors influence hypoactive sexual desire?
Your own health status, partner’s health, relationship factor, work and familial stress.
What is vaginismus?
Muscle spasms with penetrative sex
What is female anorgasmia?
Delayed or absent orgasm which may always be present for select women.
What is male orgasmic disorder?
Delayed or absent orgasm
What is erectile dysfunction?
Inability to attain or maintain erection during sexual activity.
What are the causes of erectile dysfunction?
Drugs, alcohol, HIV, cardiovascular disease, psychological and physical factors and spinal cord lesion.
How is erectile dysfunction managed?
Medication, psychological treatment, physical examination.
What is FGM?
Removal of the external genitalia of the vagina.
What is the prevalence of FGM?
Occurs in African countries, Asian countries and the Middle East, Prominent in North East Africa such as Somalia and Eritrea, Egypt, and Pakistan, Iraq. Somalia has higher Type 3 FGM.
What is type 1 FGM?
Removal of the clitoris and hood.
What is type 2 FMGM?
.
Removal of the labia minora and externa and optionally the clitoris
What is type 3 FGM?
Sealing the vagina to leave a small opening through sewing together the labia.
What is type 4 FGM?
Cutting, scratching or other injury to the vagina.
What are the short term health consequences of FGM?
Pain, bleeding, infection, death and broken bones
WHat are the long term health consequences of FGM?
Recurrent urinary infection, PTSD, anxiety, ulcers, scarring sexual dysfunction
How does FGM affect pregnancy and childbirth?
Increases likelihood of poor condition at birth, low birth weight, still birth and neonatal death
