The G-Spot Isn’t What You Think It Is
March 28, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Few aspects of genital anatomy have sparked as much scientific debate as the so-called G-spot (also known as the Grafenberg spot). Some researchers have argued that it is a distinct anatomic site, claiming to have found definitive evidence for its existence, whereas others have argued that the evidence behind such claims is far from convincing.
For example, a 2012 case report published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine described the G-spot as a “well‐delineated sac with walls that resembled fibroconnective tissues and resembled erectile tissues.” By contrast, a review paper published in the same journal in 2012 concluded that “objective measures have failed to provide strong and consistent evidence for the existence of an anatomical site that could be related to the famed G‐spot.”
So what’s the deal? Is the G-spot a distinct part of female genital anatomy or not?
A new study aimed to clear things up by providing one of the largest and most thorough anatomic explorations ever of this area. This study is the subject of my latest column over at TONIC and it was based on the results of 13 post-mortem dissections of the front wall of the vagina (note that the G-spot is usually described as being on the front wall of the vagina, about one-third of the way inside).
The results of this investigation turned up no evidence of a unique anatomic structure corresponding to the G-spot (at least not one that the researchers could see macroscopically, or with the naked eye). The findings suggest that perhaps rather than thinking of the G-spot as a unique structure within the genital region, it may instead be better thought of as the area where the internal part of the clitoris, the urethra, and vagina all happen to intersect.
To learn more about this study, check out the full article over at TONIC.
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For more on this research, see: Hoag, N., Keast, J. R., & O’Connell, H. E. (2017). The “G-Spot” Is Not a Structure Evident on Macroscopic Anatomic Dissection of the Vaginal Wall. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 14(12), 1524-1532.
Image Source: 123rf/Vyacheslav Volkov
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Dr. Justin Lehmiller
Founder & Owner of Sex and PsychologyDr. Justin Lehmiller is a social psychologist and Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute. He runs the Sex and Psychology blog and podcast and is author of the popular book Tell Me What You Want. Dr. Lehmiller is an award-winning educator, and a prolific researcher who has published more than 50 academic works.
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