Not only are babies conceived through sexual intercourse, pleasure is experienced and a bond with the partner is established. Most people experience lovemaking and especially orgasm as an overwhelming feeling.
What is sexual intercourse?
The term sexual intercourse describes the union of two people. In the process, the man penetrates the woman’s vagina with his erect penis in the heterosexual act. The term sexual intercourse describes the union of two people. In the heterosexual act, the man penetrates the woman’s vagina with his erect penis. Particularly important during sexual intercourse is the correct movement so that the man’s member can slide in and out of the vagina. The resulting friction stimulates the man’s glans, which ultimately leads to orgasm and ejaculation. Sexual intercourse is not only a method of procreation but also serves for sexual satisfaction. Penile penetration into the vagina not only stimulates the man sexually, but also the woman. If the man’s desire increases more and more, ejaculation occurs. Sperm cells are released together with semen. These reach the cervix via the woman’s vagina and can meet a fertilizable egg cell there. The process described above is also called vaginal intercourse and is a prerequisite for a woman to become pregnant. However, the term sexual intercourse can also be used to describe penetration or stimulation of the sexual organs in the context of same-sex sexual acts. In addition, oral sex is also sexual intercourse.
Effect on body, hormones and feelings
During the sexual act, a whole cocktail of hormones is released. For example, sex increases testosterone levels. Testosterone is the hormone of men par excellence, but it is also produced in the female body. In women, the testosterone level increases even more during sexual intercourse than in men. Even before sex, adrenaline is increasingly released. This hormone prepares the body for physical exertion; it makes the heart beat faster, for example. A high estrogen level increases the desire for sex in women. The so-called cuddle hormone oxytocin is also released during sexual intercourse; it strengthens the lovers’ feeling of bonding. The climax of lovemaking is orgasm, during which blood flow to the external sex organs increases sharply and uncontrollable contractions of the muscles occur. The muscle contractions during orgasm discharge the sexual desire that has been pushed to the extreme. In men, orgasm is accompanied by ejaculation. Through ejaculation, the man’s sperm cells enter the woman’s vagina, where they can fertilize an egg that may be present.
Diseases, risks and dangers
Sexual intercourse also has less pleasant sides, these include venereal diseases, erectile dysfunction as well as lipidosis. Sexually transmitted diseases are diseases which are transmitted through sexual intercourse. This can happen during vaginal intercourse, but also during oral or anal intercourse. Probably the best known STDs are syphilis and gonorrhea. Both diseases are bacterial infections. While the course of syphilis is gradual and symptoms do not occur until late, gonorrhea infections often cause severe symptoms. These mainly include inflammation of the fallopian tubes, urethra or uterus. Chlamydia infections are also common STDs. An infection with chlamydia often runs without symptoms. The infection can lead to inflammation of the fallopian tubes and uterus. Untreated chlamydial infections are not infrequently the cause of unwanted childlessness. In addition to bacterial STDs, there are also diseases caused by viruses. These include HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, and genital herpes. Not only STDs, but also erectile dysfunction can stand in the way of a satisfying sexual experience. Erectile dysfunction has either organic or psychological causes; in most cases, however, a mixture of both is present. Libido disorders can also stand in the way of a fulfilling love life for both men and women.The cause of a loss of libido is only in rare cases of a purely physical nature, usually there is a psychological component. In principle, it is normal not always to have a desire for sex, this alone does not represent a clinical picture. However, if it comes to a complete loss of libido under which the relationship also suffers, medical help should be sought.
