Dear tesha_nicole,

Every woman's body responds differently to various kinds of sex play, and every woman has different preferences for how she likes to be stimulated. That's why getting to know your body is very important. Masturbation can be a key to sexual health. There's no right or wrong way to masturbate — it's about discovering what kinds of touching and sensations work for you, and it's a way to learn to have orgasms. Most women who reach orgasm with a partner have also experienced an orgasm from masturbation.

Many women — about one out of three — have trouble reaching orgasm when having sex with a partner. Most women experience orgasm through clitoral stimulation rather than through vaginal penetration. So if a woman is having difficulty reaching orgasm, she may want to try clitoral stimulation during, before, or after vaginal intercourse or oral sex. Her clitoris can be stimulated orally, manually, or with a sex toy such as a vibrator.

It's also important to communicate with your partner. Our partners can't read our minds, so it's important to be clear about what feels good and what doesn't, and what we do and don't want to do. A woman may find as she gets older that she has an easier time having orgasms because she has more knowledge of what is pleasing to her sexually, and because she is more comfortable communicating with her partners about what she likes and doesn't like sexually.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.