Dear Yvonne,
What should a man do to ensure he and his partner enjoy sex during pregnancy?
—Julio

Dear Julio,
When interviewing men for my book, “Your Orgasmic Pregnancy,” I found that the most critical factor for men is to get over their issues with the pregnant form. Many have trouble seeing pregnant women as sexy. Some feel a sex-guilt for having sex with a pregnant woman, and others are afraid of hurting the baby.

Men need to educate themselves about sex during pregnancy. Unless her doctor says otherwise, she’s good to go —and in many cases, rearing for action — given the increase in hormones and engorgement of blood to her genitals. Men need to let their pregnant partner lead the way when it comes to sex, at the same time taking steps to overcome their issues, from counseling to encouraging intimacy, for example, buying her a baby doll dress to cover up her bulge if it’s an issue. Finally, men need to realize that many women are their most orgasmic — and multiorgasmic — at this time. Keeping that focus can divert your attention and help you to see her more sexual and sensual than ever.

Dr. Yvonne Kristín Fulbright is a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc. She is the author of several books including, “Touch Me There! A Hands-On Guide to Your Orgasmic Hot Spots.”

Dear Yvonne,
I read your recent article on sex headaches. Can’t sex also act as a type of headache medicine? I want something to say the next time my wife tells me she’s not in the mood because she has a “headache.”
—Chris

Dear Chris,
Yes, people often have sex to get rid of headaches. A 2007 study conducted at the University of Texas, evaluating students’ motivations for sex, confirmed as much. This is not surprising since research from The Journal of Head and Face Pain in 2001 found that orgasms during sexual intercourse can provide migraine relief for women. While the efficacy of orgasm isn’t nearly as good as taking a migraine medication, relief is provided much faster when effective.

Dr. Yvonne Kristín Fulbright is a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc. She is the author of several books including, “Touch Me There! A Hands-On Guide to Your Orgasmic Hot Spots.”

What is it about the length of time between sexual encounters for men that makes their orgasm more powerful or not?

—Gabe

Whether they’ve had one or many orgasms during sex, men require a refractory period after sex prior to becoming aroused again. This down time is vital to him being able to, sooner or later, experience arousal, erection and climax all over again.

For many men, the longer it has been since the last time they had an orgasm, the more powerful the orgasm during their next sex session. Their emission is likelier to come faster as well. Possible reasons for this reaction include the release of pent-up sexual tension, the fact that he has been more easily stimulated since it has been a while, and his body’s eagerness to ejaculate since it’s had plenty of time to replenish his semen load.  

Dr. Yvonne Kristín Fulbright is a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc. She is the author of several books including, “Touch Me There! A Hands-On Guide to Your Orgasmic Hot Spots.”

Dear Yvonne,
I heard it’s possible for a woman to have an orgasm while giving birth. Is this fact or fiction?
-Anna Maria

Dear Anna Maria, 
Yes, females can indeed experience climax during natural childbirth, a reaction Dr. Danielle Harel coined an “unexpected birthgasm.” In researching this phenomenon, Harel learned some women have experienced a rather surprising orgasm at the moment of birth without sexual stimulation or fantasy. Understandably, given the circumstances, this response is not interpreted by these women as sexual. It has been speculated that one of the reasons for this reaction is due to the baby’s head putting pressure on the pelvic and hypogastric nerve system as it descends, inducing orgasm.

In learning about birthgasms, couples have actively sought to have a woman experience such a “passionate birth.” Research indicates that the primary factors that allow for such are that:

- The woman has a good sex life and understands everything that birthing entails.
- A woman and her partner incorporate massage, kissing and masturbation as part of the birthing experience.
- The woman is not given anesthesia during childbirth and uses sexual stimulation to ease contractions.
- The woman is in a safe, private environment for the birth.
- The woman’s partner is supportive, for example, he or she holds her. 
 
For information on how a woman can have an orgasmic pregnancy, please check out my newly released book “Your Orgasmic Pregnancy: Little Sex Secrets Every Hot Mama Should Know.”

Dr. Yvonne Kristín Fulbright is a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc. She is the author of several books including, “Touch Me There! A Hands-On Guide to Your Orgasmic Hot Spots.”

Dear Dr. Yvonne,
Does a woman run the risk of falling in love with me when we’re just having casual sex?
-Marty

Dear Marty,
While not a general rule, research shows that sex does promote bonding. Although people don’t plan on or want to fall in love from casual sex, they may since such intimacy triggers hormones that have a romantic effect. Dopamine spikes with orgasm, changing the threshold of your ability to falling in love. Orgasm also floods your brain with oxytocin and vasopressin, chemicals associated with attachment. Furthermore, if a man is depositing his seminal fluid in a female partner, he’s giving her a dose of the chemicals needed for sex drive, attachment and romantic love. This increases her chance of falling head over heels.

Dr. Yvonne Kristín Fulbright is a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc. She is the author of several books including, “Touch Me There! A Hands-On Guide to Your Orgasmic Hot Spots.”

Dear Dr. Yvonne,
Sometimes when I’m doing random, nonsexual things like watching the news, I’ll have a feeling in my groin that’s like having an orgasm, even though I’m not touching myself or doing anything to get turned on. What’s this about?
Tonya

Spontaneous orgasm is when a person has an unanticipated climactic response without genital contact, or at least any that she is consciously aware of. Such an effortless indulgence of genital sensations may be a physical response to things like the fabric from wedgy-style, tight shorts rubbing up against your genitals, or rocking movements (maybe as you’re watching an exciting football game on television) that tease the groin, or the unconscious tightening and releasing of your pelvic floor muscles.

Such orgasms for women in particular can catch them by surprise during activities involving pressure and/or vibrations against the vulva, like horseback riding or bike riding. Thigh pressure against a woman’s vulva, especially her clitoris, has been known to unexpectedly hurl her into orgasmic bliss. These extragenital responses occur because an orgasm is a reflexive release of sexual tension that can occur during any number of activities, e.g., sit-ups or deep breathing exercises.

Dr. Yvonne Kristín Fulbright is a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc. She is the author of several books including, “Touch Me There! A Hands-On Guide to Your Orgasmic Hot Spots.”

An issue affecting many is finally getting the attention it deserves.

Last week, the Center for Excellence in Sexual Health at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta hosted a conference titled “Wounded Troops and Partners: Supporting Intimate Relationships.” With former Surgeon Generals Dr. David Satcher and Dr. Richard Carmona among the speakers, as well as former Senator Bob Dole, this effort is a glimmer of hope that America is finally ready to deal with the issue of sex and disability.

When most people think “sexy,” they don’t think disabled. Yet people with disabilities can be very sexual — much more than we give them credit for. Consider, for example, that some women with complete spinal cord injury experience orgasm.

Research by Barry Komisaruk, Beverly Whipple (The Science of Orgasm) and colleagues has shown that these women respond to vaginal or cervical self-stimulation because they could perceive it, with some reporting an orgasmic response.

Dr. Fulbright,
Have you ever researched and written about, as I call it, “orgasm paralysis” in women?  Essentially, after experiencing an orgasm, the woman’s lower extremities become numb or unmovable. My wife faces this every time we make love. It takes between half an hour and an hour before she can move somewhat normally again. 
Kirk

Dear Kirk,
I have honestly never heard of this type of “orgasm paralysis” before, so I asked a few colleagues if they knew anything about this. Most had never heard of this before. Overall, everyone was in agreement that your wife should get a thorough neurological exam to find out what’s going on medically. 

On another note, if you believe in the impact the body’s energy can have on us, especially during lovemaking, one thing to consider is that her kundalini energy may be at play. One’s kundalini energy, or life force energy, which rests at the base of the spine, has been known to “explode” up the spine, blowing out one of the body’s chakras, or energy centers. So she needs to work with an energy healer who can help to repair her chakra system. A fellow sex therapist worked with a woman who experienced almost complete paralysis following the “Big O.” Interestingly enough, the paralysis went away with the help of an energy healer.

Dr. Yvonne Kristín Fulbright is a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc. She is the author of several books including, “Touch Me There! A Hands-On Guide to Your Orgasmic Hot Spots.”

It’s a legitimate medical problem – many women are silently suffering from Persistent Sexual Arousal Syndrome.

But Jeannie Allen, 56, and Heather Dearmon, 34, refuse to be silent any longer. They want other women who have this disorder to know they aren’t alone.

Click here to read their compelling story.