During arousal and sex, there are various stages of physical response. Researchers have identified four stages of sexual response in women and men: arousal, plateau, orgasm and resolution. This article describes what happens in a woman's body when she is sexually aroused.

What jobs do the external sex organs do?

Stage 1: sexual excitement or arousal
NCBI Bookshelf. The female sex organs make it possible for women to become pregnant and give birth to children. But they have other important jobs, too: They produce hormones, control the process of girls maturing into grown women, and make sex and sexual pleasure possible.
The G-spot orgasm and female ejaculation
Got a symptom but not sure what's causing it? Use our award-winning symptom checker to find out — it's free! All of Healthily's articles undergo medical safety checks to verify that the information is medically safe. View more details in our safety page , or read our editorial policy. When a female gets sexually aroused, or excited, many emotional and physical arousal responses are triggered. Everyone is different, but usually your body will go through 4 stages when you respond to sexual arousal: excitement, arousal, orgasm and resolution.
How to Navigate This Online Resource. Changes at Midlife. Sexual Problems at Midlife. Causes of Sexual Problems. Effective Treatments for Sexual Problems. Frequently Asked Questions. Give Us YourFeedback. Less estrogen may cause the tissues of the vulva and the lining of the vagina to become thinner, drier, and less elastic or flexible. Both the vagina and the external female genitals vulva are affected. Vulvovaginal atrophy.