A lot more than you’d think!
The female orgasm is a wonderful phenomenon that was considered taboo for centuries. Many — mostly men — didn’t even know it existed, and plenty believed that a woman’s role wasn’t even to enjoy sex.
It took the 20th century for things to change, for women to finally become aware of their own sexuality, and to speak openly — without stigma — about topics like clitoral and vaginal orgasms. (Just to illustrate the darkness of the Dark Ages: it was once believed only witches had a clitoris…)
For a long time, the clitoral orgasm was viewed by experts as a “lesser” form of orgasm. Many sexologists believed women should aim for vaginal orgasms, while clitoral orgasms were thought to be more for masturbation — something you were expected to “grow out of” as an adult. Because of this mindset, clitoral orgasms remained taboo for a long time — and in some places, they still are.
Around 70–80% of women can achieve clitoral orgasms, while “only” 50–60% are capable of vaginal orgasms, which are often associated with stimulation of the G-spot. Interestingly, only 20–30% of women can achieve both. Today, we know there’s no hierarchy among orgasm types. What matters isn’t where the stimulation happens, but that the woman experiences pleasure — which, unfortunately, doesn’t always happen. Female orgasms typically take longer to build than male ones, which is why foreplay is so important. But once an orgasm is achieved, a woman’s arousal threshold drops — meaning she can orgasm more easily again.
What exactly is a multiple orgasm?
The term “multiple orgasm” refers to more than one orgasm happening close together in time. In some cases, just a few seconds can separate one orgasm from the next. According to a 2016 survey, 8% of women reach climax very easily — even multiple times in a row — while a British study involving 1,250 women found that 70% had experienced multiple orgasms at least once in their lives. There’s no scientifically accepted limit to how many orgasms a woman can have — theoretically, there is no limit. It doesn’t “cut off” after 5, 10, or 15.
How can you achieve multiple orgasm?
Another 2016 study showed that at least 15 minutes of sex is typically needed for multiple orgasms to occur. But you can increase your chances by alternating between faster, more intense stimulation and gentler forms. In fact, it’s often easier to reach multiple orgasms during solo play — a 2018 study supports this, also finding that half of women rely on sex toys to help. Practice and experimentation are well worth it: orgasms reduce stress, help prevent high blood pressure, boost the immune system — and even improve sleep.