Cathy and Anne talk about the notorious G-spot! How does it work and where is it?

Question: I don't know where my G-spot is. I don't really even know for sure how it works. Is it real? I never have an orgasm during intercourse, but rather during foreplay when my clitoris is manipulated. So my question is if the G-spot is actually touched during intercourse, how, and where.

Anne and Cathy: Yes, the G-spot is real, but it's been over-hyped to the point where women who don't orgasm from penetration (that is, the vast majority of women) often feel they either "don't have" or "can't find" their own. The G-spot isn't a vaginal ecstasy button--it's simply a cushion of spongy erectile tissue wrapped around the urethra. When you're aroused, this urethral sponge swells until it can be felt through the front wall (or ceiling) of the vagina. The urethra runs parallel to and above the vagina, so firm pressure on the front wall of the vagina--whether from fingers, a toy, or a partner's penis--can stimulate your urethral sponge.

Every woman has a G-spot, but not every woman enjoys G-spot stimulation. You might be interested to know that the G-spot corresponds to the prostate gland--just as some men find it highly arousing to have their prostate stimulated while others don't, some women love G-spot stimulation while others could care less about it. Most women orgasm only from clitoral stimulation or from combining clitoral stimulation with other pleasurable activities.

A few tips on exploring G-spot stimulation: Warm up first with other types of sexual stimulation. If you are tense or insufficiently aroused, prodding your urethral sponge will probably only irritate your bladder. Once you're aroused and your erectile tissues are swollen with blood, the urethral sponge will be easier to locate. You may find that G-spot stimulation makes you feel like you need to pee--this is a natural response to pressure on the urethra, and the sensation should subside in a few moments.

Choose the position that best enables you or your partner to reach the front wall of your vagina--squatting or lying on your stomach are good bets. The G-spot is not responsive to light touch, so you'll need to press firmly into the vaginal wall. If you explore with your fingers, you should encounter a slightly ridged area just behind the pubic bone that feels distinct from the smoother vaginal walls around it. Press down on this area--experiment with rocking, massaging, and rhythmic touch to discover what you like best. For G-spot stimulation during intercourse, try positions like woman-on-top and rear entry so the head of the penis will press against the front wall of the vagina.

The urethral sponge contains small glands known as "paraurethral glands." Continuous G-spot stimulation causes these paraurethral glands to fill up with a clear, odorless fluid. Some women experience "female ejaculation," when this fluid flows or spurts out of the urethra during arousal or orgasm. If this happens to you, fetch the towels and enjoy yourself. If it doesn't, please don't feel inadequate--some women ejaculate, and others don't.

All this information and more can be found in the recently updated bestseller, The Good Vibrations Guide to Sex, written by Anne Semans and Cathy Winks.

Questions were answered by authors Anne Semans and Cathy Winks, and were chosen from those suggested by our readers. Perhaps your oncern is one that is on every woman's mind! We invite you to read our review of The Mother's Guide to Sex, as well as additional reviews by our staff located here. A few words about the book from the authors can be read here. Enjoy!