Sexuality encompasses all those thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connected with sexual gratification and reproduction, including the attraction of one person to another. Plays a central role in most of our lives. It is a key factor in our principal relationships and the formation of our families. It is also a common source of problems. Normal sexual behavior brings pleasure to oneself and one's partner, by involving stimulation of the primary sex organs including coitus

1. Human
Sexuality
By Yohannes Ayalew (RN, BSc. N, MSc. N, PhD fellow)
Assistant professor of Nursing: AAU-2023

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3. What makes us Human?
Unlike all other created things, humans have:
Soul- an inseparable part of us that lives
forever
Conscience- an ability to know what is right
and wrong
This must be educated/trained as long as
we live
 Free will- the ability to freely choose
Humans choose how to behave – either
good or bad 3

4. Sexuality
Sexuality encompasses all those thoughts,
feelings, and behaviors connected with
sexual gratification and reproduction,
including the attraction of one person to another.
Plays a central role in most of our lives. It is a
key factor in our principal relationships and the
formation of our families. It is also a common
source of problems.
Normal sexual behavior brings pleasure to
oneself and one's partner, by involving
stimulation of the primary sex organs including
coitus 4

5. Sexual organs
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The sexual response
 The sexual response is a complex interplay of
psychologic and physiologic phenomena (thoughts and
feelings) and is influenced by a number of variables,
including daily stress, illness, and crises
 Masters and Johnson (1966) were the first to describe
the physiological phases/5 phases/ that occur during the
sexual response, thus are:
1. Pre-excitement phase
2. Excitement phase
3. Plateau phase
4. Orgasmic phase
5. Resolution phase

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Phase-1: Pre-excitement phase
Is a precursor to the first phase of the sexual
response cycle
During this phase the individual may fantasize
about or wish to actually engage in sexual
activities
The intensity of the resultant desire for sexual
activity appears to be mediated by the level of
circulating androgens and their effect on cells
in the central and peripheral nervous systems

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Phase-2: Excitement phase
 Vaso-congestion in the genital area is the major
physiologic change that occurs in this phase
 In men, penile erection occurs secondary to the
rapid influx and retention of blood in the spongy
tissues of the penis
 Erection results from the filling of the large venous
sinuses within the erectile tissue of the penis. In the
flaccid state the sinuses hold only a small amount of
blood, but during the erection stage they are
congested with blood. Because the penis is richly
endowed with sympathetic, parasympathetic, and
pudendal nerve endings, it is readily stimulated to
erection
 The loose skin of the penis becomes taut as a result
of the intense venous congestion
 This erectile tautness allows for easy insertion in to
the vagina

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Phase-2: Excitement phase…cont.
 The penis and the urethra are essential to the
transport of sperm in the vagina and the cervix
during intercourse
 In women, in response to stimulation the clitoris
becomes congested and vaginal lubrication
increases from secretions of the cervix, Bartholin’s
glands, and vaginal walls.
In some women, vaginal lubrication can occur within
seconds during this phase, whereas other women take
much longer to achieve lubrication
Lubrication results from vasoconstriction in and around
the vagina that causes fluid to pass through the tissues of
the vaginal walls
The external genitalia swell and clitoris increase in size,
becomes erect, and is increasingly more sensitive
The vaginal vault balloons and lengthens

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Phase-3: Plateau phase
 Is the natural extension of the excitement phase
 As the man reaches the plateau phase, the erection
is maintained, and a small increase in diameter
occurs as a result of a slight increase in congestion
 There is also an increase in testicle size. Sometimes
a change in color occurs in the glans penis, which
becomes more reddish-purple
 Testes continue to elevate and thicken because of
vasoconstriction
 An emission of a few drops of seminal fluid
containing sperm may occur at this time from the
corpus glands

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Phase-3: Plateau phase…cont.
As excitation is maintained in the plateau
phase, in women the vagina expands and the
uterus is elevated
The labia minora take on a deeper hue and
the tissues around the nipples may swell
The clitoris retracts under the clitoral hood.
The opening to the vagina decreases in size
related to the engorgement of surrounding
tissues

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Phase-4: Orgasmic phase
 During this phase sexual pleasure peaks. It is the
shortest of the phases and generally lasts only a few
seconds.
 In men, the subsequent contraction of the penile and
urethral musculature during the orgasmic phase propels
the sperm outward through the meatus.
 This process is termed as ejaculation; sperm released in
to the ductus deferens during contraction. Sperm
advances through the urethra, where fluids from the
prostate and seminal vesicles added to the ejaculate
 The sperm continue their path through the urethra,
receiving a small amount of fluid from the Cowper’s
glands, and are finally ejaculated through the urinary
meatus

13. Ejaculation
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Phase-4: Orgasmic phase…cont.
Contractions of the pelvic floor occur in
conjunction with the closure of the internal
sphincters of the bladder, which prevents
retrograde ejaculation or discharge of the
seminal fluid into the bladder rather than outside
through the urethra
Orgasm is characterized by the rapid release of
the vasocogestion and muscular tension
(myotonia) that have developed
The rapid release of muscular tension (through
rhythmic contraction) occurs primarily in the
penis, prostate gland, and the seminal vesicles

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Phase-4: Orgasmic phase…cont.
 After ejaculation, a man enters the resolution phase.
During this phase the penis undergoes, involution,
gradually returning to its unstimulated, flaccid state
 In women during the orgasmic phase, contractions
occur in the uterus from the fundus to the lower uterine
segment
 There is a slight relaxation of the cervical os, which
helps the entrance of the sperm, and rhythmic
contraction of the vagina
 Muscular tension is rapidly released through rhythmic
contractions in the clitoris, the vagina, and the uterus
 The cervical os may contract and open slightly with an
orgasm

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Phase-4: Orgasmic phase…cont.
An all over warmth and a throbbing sensation
in the pelvis is experienced
Some women ejaculate a fluid that is similar
to the male’s prostatic fluid from the urethra at
the time of orgasm
Muscles in the pelvic floor and rectal sphincter
contract, forcing pooled blood out of engorged
blood vessels and relieving pelvic tension
In both men and women the heart rate, blood
pressure, and respiration increases.

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Phase-4: Orgasmic phase…cont.
Myotonia, or muscular tension, develops
throughout the body, especially in the thighs,
abdomen, and pelvic area
The individual may experience muscle
spasms in the groin or legs
Breast enlarges and nipples may become
erect because of involuntary muscle fibers
contraction in the areola.
A flush may appear on the face
It is important to note that note every sexual
encounter will terminate in an orgasm for
both partners

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Phase-5: Resolution phase
The final phase of the human sexual response
cycle is resolution
The resolution phase is accompanied by a
sense of well-being, relaxation, enhanced
intimacy and often fatigue
Vital signs slowly return to normal in both men
and women
In women-loss of erection begins immediately
after ejaculation
If nipples were erect during the sexual
excitement phase, they slowly lose their erect
state

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Phase-5: Resolution phase…cont.
Some women are capable of a rapid return to
the orgasmic phase with further sexual
stimulation and may experience multiple
orgasms.
Men need recovery time after orgasm, called
a refractory period, during which they cannot
reach orgasm again.
The length of time the man remains in the
refractory period depends on age and
individual characteristics
It usually lengthens with advancing age.

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Phase-5: Resolution phase…cont.
In women the external genitalia, uterus, and
vagina return to their pre-stimulation state
In men, penis, testes and scrotal tissue return
to their relaxed state
Sexual satisfaction does not necessarily
depend on completion of the entire sexual
response cycle, of greater importance is the
person’s sense of fulfillment with the total
sexual experience
Human beings are the only animal species
that practice sexual intercourse ‘face-to-face’

21. Complete resolution of both partner
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