(291) Post Orgasmic Refractory Period (PORT) in Women: Myth or Reality? Results of an Exploratory Study

Introduction The phenomenon of orgasm and the subsequent refractory period in women remains a mystery despite years of research. Logically, one would expect a refractory period to follow an orgasm, as it is mediated by neural processes. Objective To investigate the existence of PORT and its types in a sample of women using an exploratory study design. Methods The study commenced after receiving approval from the institutional review board. We recruited sexually active adult women in stable heterosexual relationships who volunteered to participate. Participants with comorbidities, psychiatric illnesses, those on medication, and women in the perimenopausal or menopausal age groups experiencing menopausal symptoms or sexual dysfunction were excluded. Each participant was educated about normal human sexuality and female sexual response and completed a full version of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) during their initial assessment. Participants were divided into three groups based on their orgasmic experiences during sexual encounters and their scores in the orgasm domain of the FSFI: - Group 1: Women who reported experiencing orgasms. Group 2: Women who reported reaching a state of peak pleasure without achieving orgasm. Group 3: Women who had never experienced an orgasm during sexual encounters. The groups were matched on FSFI domains other than the orgasm domain, and those that did not match were excluded. Participants reported to the investigator monthly, detailing their sexual encounters, occurrences of orgasm, and any feelings of aversion to sexual activity afterward (PORT), which were recorded in a diary. These reports were independently verified with their partners. Data was analyzed using MedCalc software, with a significance level set at p ≤ 0.05. Results Conducted from January 2023 to December 2023, the study included a sample of 117 participants. No statistically significant differences were found among the groups regarding age, number of sexual encounters, or FSFI domains other than orgasm. However, a significant difference was noted in the orgasm domain of the FSFI. In Group 1, 61.9% of sexual encounters were associated with an orgasm, while 44.7% of encounters in Group 2 resulted in peak pleasure without reaching orgasm. Group 3 reported some pleasure in only 18% of sexual encounters, but never an orgasm. Total aversion to sexual activity occurred after 94.2% of the orgasmic encounters in Group 1, with durations ranging from 30 minutes to 21 hours. Participants in Group 2 experienced a plateauing of pleasure in 39.5% of their sexual encounters but noted an increase in pleasure with continued sexual activity. Participants in Group 3 reported neither aversion nor interest in further sexual activity after their sexual encounters. Conclusions Our study indicates that women who experience orgasms during sexual encounters are more likely to undergo an absolute refractory period varying from 30 minutes to 21 hours. In contrast, for those who do not reach orgasm but experience peak pleasure, the refractoriness appears to be relative. Disclosure No