The penetration mostly refers to the penetration of the penis into the vagina. In addition, other sexual practices in which one partner penetrates the other's body opening are also referred to as penetration.
What is the penetration?
The most common type of penetration means the penetration of the male member into the vagina of the woman and is therefore usually part of sexual intercourse. Before the penetration, there is often a foreplay, as the vagina should be moist for painless penetration, which is achieved through the excitement of the woman.
Penetration can also mean the penetration into other body openings, for example into the anus. While penetration in the narrower sense of the word is used for reproduction, since sperm can enter the uterus during orgasm, penetration of other body orifices is solely aimed at satisfying sexual pleasure.
Function & task
In humans, who are classified as mammals, fertilization takes place inside the body. This represents a further development over fertilization in lower vertebrates, which occurs outside the body. Inside fertilization is safer and more likely to be successful.
To do this, however, penetration must take place beforehand, because the man's sperm cells must be transported in this way into the woman's uterus, from where they can make it to the egg cell on their own. In addition, unlike in lower vertebrates, the embryo develops protected inside the body in humans, which increases its chances of survival to such an extent that humans usually only give birth to one child per birth.
The penetration not only serves to gain pleasure, but is of great importance in evolutionary terms. In addition, penetration can also be seen as a "trick" used by nature to induce humans to reproduce. Men almost always feel sexual pleasure through penetration; in women, penetration can at least have a stimulating effect.
The sensation of sexual pleasure before and during penetration is a human peculiarity that hardly any other mammal knows. If it is not about procreation, but about physical closeness and the satisfaction of sexual needs, the penetration of other body orifices or inanimate objects is also possible.
Illnesses & ailments
Penetration can be difficult for both men and women, and there is hardly any obstacle that cannot be overcome. In women, the biggest problem is often the lack of vaginal lubrication. Similar difficulties can arise when penetrating body orifices that hardly produce any moisture on their own.
In these cases, lubricants provide a quick remedy by replacing the lack of moisture and thus also the lubricity. If the penetration were to take place without such an aid, cracks could arise in the skin of the body opening and the penis could also be injured by too dry penetration.
Vaginismus can get in the way of penetration. Vaginismus is a condition in which the vagina tightens and cramps when the man tries to penetrate. The causes are varied. Some women have their first experiences with vaginismus the very first time they try to have sex, with no apparent trigger. Others have had bad experiences with men or with sexual violence, so that psychological problems stand in the way of normal penetration.
Often the difficulty of penetration is not a mature vaginismus, but only a cramping of the vaginal muscles due to fear and tension in the woman. This can usually be remedied well with care and attention and a lot of time.
Physical excitement is a prerequisite for penetration in men. Stress, mental problems, high blood pressure, illnesses or injuries to the penis can temporarily or permanently lead to erectile dysfunction.
When the man is flaccid, he cannot enter the vagina, which prevents penetration. If the erectile dysfunction is temporary, it helps to wait until the trigger has improved. Otherwise, prescription drugs like Viagra® can aid penetration by producing an erection.
Excessive penetration or penetration without lubricant in the absence of moisture can injure both partners. At best, there are only cracks in the mucous membranes, at worst, excessive penetration can tear the foreskin of the penis or cause a larger wound in the penetrated body opening. In order to prevent inflammation and stop bleeding, such cases require treatment.
