European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
Volume 154, Issue 1 , Pages 3-8 , January 2011

Embryology and anatomy of the vulva: the female orgasm and women's sexual health

  • Vincenzo Puppo

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence address: Via Pistoiese 301/6, 50145 Florence, Italy. Tel.: +39 055300425.

Received 16 December 2009 ,Revised 3 August 2010 ,Accepted 13 August 2010.

References 

  1. Masters WH, Johnson VE. Human sexual response. Boston: Little Brown; 1966;
  2. Abdool Z, Thakar R, Sultan AH. Postpartum female sexual function. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2009;145:133–137
  3. Williams PL, Bannister LH, Berry MM, et al. Gray's anatomy. 38th ed.. New York: Churchill Livingstone; 1995;
  4. Testut L, Latarjet A. Traité d’Anatomie Humaine, neuvième édition. Paris: G. Doin & C. ie; 1972;
  5. Dickinson RL. Atlas of human sex anatomy. 2nd ed.. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins; 1949;
  6. Mah K, Binik YM. The nature of human orgasm: a critical review of major trends. Clin Psychol Rev. 2001;6:823–856
  7. Laqueur T. Making sex: body and gender from the Greeks to Freud. Cambridge: Harvard University Press; 1990;
  8. Van Turnhout AA, Hage JJ, Van Diest PJ. The female corpus spongiosum revisited. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 1995;74:767–771
  9. Zaviacic M, Jakubovská V, Belošovi RM, Breza J. Ultrastructure of the normal adult human female prostate gland (Skene's gland). Anat Embryol. 2000;201:51–61
  10. Giuliano F, Clément P. Physiology of ejaculation: emphasis on serotonergic control. Eur Urol. 2005;48:408–417
  11. Zukerman Z, Weiss DB, Orvieto R. Does preejaculatory penile secretion originating from Cowper's gland contain sperm?. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2003;20:157–159
  12. Fetissof F, Arbeille B, Bellet D, Barre I, Lansac J. Endocrine cells in human Bartholin's glands. An immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analysis. Virchows Arch B Cell Pathol Incl Mol Phatol. 1989;57:117–121
  13. Sakamoto H, Ichikawa G, Shimizu Y, Kikuchi A, Yamamoto T. Extreme hypertrophy of the labia minora. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2004;83:1225–1226
  14. Pardo J, Solà V, Ricci P, Guilloff E. Laser labioplasty of labia minora. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2006;93:38–43
  15. Catania L, Abdulcadir O, Puppo V, Baldaro Verde J, Abdulcadir J, Abdulcadir D. Pleasure and orgasm in women with female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). J Sex Med. 2007;4:1666–1678
  16. Shafik A, Shafik AA, Ahmed I. Response of the labia majora and minora to clitoral stimulation. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2004;86:401–402
  17. Yang CC, Cold CJ, Yilmaz U, Maravilla KR. Sexually responsive vascular tissue of the vulva. BJU Int. 2006;97:766–772
  18. Connell K, Guess MK, La Combe J, et al. Evaluation of the role of pudendal nerve integrity in female sexual function using noninvasive techniques. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2005;192:1712–1717
  19. Catala M. Control of the development of Onuf's spinal nucleus. Prog Urol. 2002;12:340–343
  20. Shafik A. Response of the urethral and intracorporeal pressures to cavernosus muscle stimulation: role of the muscle in erection and ejaculation. Urology. 1995;46:85–88
  21. Toesca A, Stolfi VM, Cocchia D. Immunohistochemical study of the corpora cavernosa of the human clitoris. J Anat. 1996;188:513–520
  22. Goldstein AT, Burrows LJ. Surgical treatment of clitoral phimosis caused by lichen sclerosus. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2007;196:126.e1–4
  23. Johnson RD, Kitchell RL. Mechanoreceptor response to mechanical and thermal stimuli in the glans penis of the dog. J Neurophysiol. 1987;57:1813–1836
  24. Halata Z, Munger BL. The neuroanatomical basis for the protopathic sensibility of the human glans penis. Brain Res. 1986;371:205–230
  25. Verkauf BS, Von Thron J, O’Brien WF. Clitoral size in normal women. Obstet Gynecol. 1992;80:41–44
  26. Medina CA. Clitoral priapism: a rare condition presenting as a cause of vulvar pain. Obstet Gynecol. 2002;100:1089–1091
  27. Arntzen BW, de Boer CN. Priapism of the clitoris. BJOG. 2006;113:742–743
  28. Kearney R, Sawhney R, DeLancey JO. Levator ani muscle anatomy evaluated by origin insertion pairs. Obstet Gynecol. 2004;104:168–173
  29. Grafenberg E. The role of urethra in female orgasm. Int J Sexol. 1950;III:145–148
  30. Stringer MD, Becker I. Colombo and the clitoris. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2010;151:130–133
  31. Addiego F, Belzer EG, Comolli J, Moger W, Perry JD, Whipple B. Female ejaculation: a case study. J Sex Res. 1981;17:13–21
  32. Hines TM. The G-spot: a modern gynecologic myth. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2001;185:359–362
  33. Burri AV, Cherkas L, Spector TD. Genetic and environmental influences on self-reported G-spots in women: a twin study. J Sex Med. 2010;7:1842–1852
  34. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) . Committee opinion No. 378: vaginal “rejuvenation” and cosmetic vaginal procedures. Obstet Gynecol. 2007;110:737–738
  35. Rosen RC, Barsky JL. Normal sexual response in women. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2006;33:515–526
  36. Basson R, Brotto LA, Laan E, Redmond G, Utian WH. Assessment and management of women's sexual dysfunctions: problematic desire and arousal. J Sex Med. 2005;2:291–300
  37. Masters WH, Johnson VE, Kolodny RC. Masters and Johnson on sex and human loving. Boston: Little Brown; 1986;
  38. Puppo V, Mannucci A, Abdulcadir J, Puppo G. Clarifications about some theories in sexology and about a correct sexual terminology. In: Oral Presentation-9th Congress of the European Federation of Sexology. Rome (Italy), 13–17 April. 2008;[Abstract in: Sexologies 2008; 17(Suppl. 1), T10-O-25: S147. Full text (video) in: Vaginal orgasm and G-spot don’t exist-sex education: from EFS congress 2008. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E52HiDw5bhM (accessed 08.07. 2008)].

PII: S0301-2115(10)00415-X

doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2010.08.009

European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
Volume 154, Issue 1 , Pages 3-8 , January 2011

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution