{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T04:55:11Z","timestamp":1788411311899,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,20]],"date-time":"2024-11-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1732060800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/pages\/standard-publication-reuse-rights"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Erogenous sensation zones (ESZs) elicit sexual pleasure upon stimulation. General ESZ maps exist, but they do not assess internal areas of the body, differentiate between individual structures, or quantify the importance of individual ESZs to sexual pleasure. Maps of aversive sensation zones (ASZs), or bodily areas individuals dislike having touched during sex, have not been described.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Aim<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>To create detailed erogenous and aversive sensory maps of the vulva, vagina, and breasts, and assess the importance of each erogenous structure to sexual pleasure.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>An anonymous online questionnaire was administered to 441 sexually active cisgender women (mean age 48.9\u2009\u00b1\u200915.5\u00a0years) from March to June 2020 via Qualtrics. Respondents selected ESZs and ASZs from anatomic illustrations and rated each ESZ\u2019s importance to their sexual pleasure. Respondents\u2019 reasoning for choosing each ASZ was queried.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Outcomes<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Heat maps of ESZ and ASZ selection frequency, ESZ importance ratings, and ASZ reasoning.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>More respondents selected \u22671 areas of the vulva as erogenous (82.0%), in comparison to the breasts (77.4%) and vagina (59.4%). The two most erogenous areas of the breast were also the most aversive: breast tissue (57.8% ESZ selection; 5.4% ASZ) and nipples (42.7%; 6.5%). Respondents most commonly reported these areas as aversive due to: \u201cIt\u2019s overly sensitive\u201d and \u201cIt hurts.\u201d<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>The most frequently selected ESZs of the vulva were the vaginal introitus (50.8%), periurethra (42.6%), and glans clitoris (41.3%). The top ASZs were the anus (34.0%) and perineum (7.9%), with primary reasons being: \u201cIt\u2019s gross,\u201d \u201cIt hurts,\u201d and \u201cI\u2019m ashamed\/embarrassed.\u201d<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>Of the five ESZs of the vagina, the superficial anterior (48.1%) and superficial posterior (32.9%) regions were the most selected. The cervix (6.8%), superficial posterior (5%), and deep posterior (3.4%) regions were the top ASZs due to \u201cIt hurts\u201d and\/or \u201cIt\u2019s overly sensitive.\u201d<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Clinical Implications<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Erogenous and aversive sensory maps could help identify sexual concerns, inform preoperative counseling, and track sensory changes.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Strengths and Limitations<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>This study captured detailed maps of internal and external ESZs and ASZs of the breasts, vulva, and vagina. Limitations include recall bias and inclusion of only cisgender women, rather than all people who share the same anatomy, irrespective of gender identity.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Erogenous sensation was most prominent in the vulvar structures, including the vaginal introitus and glans clitoris, followed by the superficial surface of the vaginal canal. Aversive sensation associated with the anus primarily came from feelings of judgment and shame, while other ASZs were reportedly due to pain and sensitivity.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1093\/jsxmed\/qdae143","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,21]],"date-time":"2024-11-21T01:34:58Z","timestamp":1732152898000},"page":"7-13","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Anatomic maps of erogenous and aversive sensation zones of the breasts, vulva, and vagina: a questionnaire-based study"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"22","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3055-7294","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jenna","family":"Stelmar","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Urology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center , Los Angeles, CA 90048 ,","place":["United States"]},{"name":"Transgender Surgery and Health Program , Cedars-Sinai LGBTQ+ Center, Beverly Hills, CA 90211 ,","place":["United 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