Scientists reveal what has the biggest impact on female orgasms

It's a question which has left men confused and women frustrated for centuries, and now scientists have looked into a factor which contributes most to the female orgasm.

For someone with a penis, the question of having an orgasm is generally a little more straight-forward, not to mention there's generally a clear sign that someone has arrived.

But for people with a vagina, things can require a little more nuance and delicacy than just pumping one's fist, or using sex toys either for me time or with a partner.

The joke is a tale as old as time, the gentleman collapses onto the bed in a heap of sweaty, post-coital bliss, asking 'how was it for you darling, did you get there?'

And as another accompanying bit of wisdom goes - if you have to ask, the answer is probably no.

Of course there are any number of factors involved in this, not least a historically phallocentric view of sex which prioritises activities that pleasure the penis more than the vagina.

Scientists found a factor which impacts the female orgasm (PeopleImages/Getty)

There is also a history of needing to make one's wife happy in bed, for example the belief in Medieval and Early Modern Europe that if a man had to orgasm to conceive, it followed that a woman did to.

Science has come a long way since this belief however, and one study has looked at the factor which most impacts the female orgasm.

This, apparently, was being involved in a steady relationship with someone.

"Women involved in steady relationships reported higher intensity of orgasm and sexual function, as well as higher perceptions of affectivity, intimacy and reward aspects of orgasm," the study, which was published in Sexuality and Culture, claimed.

Explaining the phenomenon, the paper said: "Affective dimension captures the emotional meaning attributed to orgasm experience, which may be more closely aligned with general sexual satisfaction and function than purely physical sensations."

The study looked at a big question (Jackyenjoyphotography/Getty)

Researchers from Loyola Andalucía and Granada universities carried out the study on a pool of 500 women, of whom two thirds were going steady in a relationship.

The women had to complete an 'Orgasm Rating Scale' which covered the emotional closeness, intimacy, reward, and physical sensations.

Of these, emotional closeness was the one with the biggest impact.

The study indicated that trust and emotional connection are a big factor in orgasm and not just physical attraction.

"In conclusion, psychological intensity of orgasm in the context of sexual relationships is a predictor of female sexual function," the study said.

It's not the only factor though - various studies, including one in NBC, have also found a disparity between women in a relationship with men, and women in lesbian relationships.

And yes, the studies found that women in lesbian relationships are orgasming more than in straight ones.