Coitus

Instructions for AI

Coitus (Latin coitio, meaning “a coming together”) is, for many of us, a vehicle for the expression of emotion and intimacy. Strictly speaking, coitus (or sexual intercourse) is the penetration of the vagina by the penis, which can be called vaginal coitus (Figure 8.4). However, the term coitus is also used for other forms of sexual contact, including oral coitus (oral–genital contact), femoral coitus (when the penis is inserted between the thighs), mammary coitus (when the penis is inserted between the breasts), and anal coitus (insertion of the penis into the rectum). There are many common slang phrases for coitus, such as “making love,” “going to bed,” and other more descriptive phrases. Legally, fornication is the voluntary coitus between an adult man and woman who are unmarried. Adultery is voluntary coitus between two people, at least one of whom is married to someone else. Sodomy means different things in different states; it usually refers to anal or oral coitus, but also can mean “acts against nature” such as coitus with an animal. Finally, masturbation, which is not a form of coitus, is the act of deriving sexual pleasure from self-stimulation of the genitals. Coitus presents little danger to the fetus or mother. Coitus, however, should be avoided if there is any uterine bleeding during pregnancy or if the extraembryonic membranes have ruptured. For this reason, couples are often counseled to avoid coitus during the last few weeks of pregnancy. In general, the period of pregnancy requires sexual adjustments by both parents. A physician or counselor may suggest certain coital positions that can be used during this time. Mainstream media convey the impression that contemporary youth pursue sexual intercourse at much earlier ages than have previous historical cohorts, and research tends to bear this out, particularly among girls. Other notable historic changes concern marital status. In the early 1950s, about half of female teenagers were unmarried when they experienced first coitus, but presently about 90% of individuals between 18 and 27 have had premarital coitus, and some studies have found that around 75% of youths do so before the age of 20. Given these patterns, researchers no longer ask whether American adolescents will have premarital sex, but instead when they will start doing so. Numerous studies suggest that the timing of sexual debut is developmentally significant. Early onset of sexual intercourse has been found to be associated with a lower likelihood of contraceptive use and a greater number of sexual partners in both adolescence and adulthood, and higher rates of extramarital sexual activity as adults. However, many studies have indicated that these phenomena are not caused by early sexual intercourse, but are instead attributable to the many other risk factors that have been found to co-occur with early sexual timing.