Why Do Women Moan During Sex?

During sex, why do women make such a variety of sounds—increased breathing, moaning, shouting, swearing, or even crying and laughing? Does this mean they are about to climax, or are they experiencing an orgasm? Is moaning during sex really, as commonly believed, an involuntary reaction to an orgasm?



A study by psychologist Gayle Brewer from the University of Central Lancashire tried to answer this question. Researchers surveyed 71 women aged between 18 and 48, all of whom had sexual experience and had experienced orgasms. The results showed that while most of these participants experienced orgasms during foreplay, the most intense moaning occurred just before their partners ejaculated. It seems that moaning does not necessarily predict a woman's orgasm, nor does it show a temporal consistency with climax. Their responses to the question, "Would you still moan even if you knew an orgasm wouldn't come?" also confirmed this inference—nearly 80% of the women answered "Yes."



**Moaning for the Next Generation**



It's not just humans who make such noises during sex. Our primate relatives also make similar sounds during mating. There are many theories about why they do this. One widely accepted theory is that these sounds give them more control during mating, which is advantageous for females.



Typically, for female primates not in monogamous relationships, making noises during mating is a way to attract the attention of other males, signaling that they are in their fertile period and capable of reproduction. This can stir up competition among males or attract more males to mate with them, leading to sperm competition (roughly speaking, when multiple males mate with the same female, the one with more and better-quality sperm has a greater chance of fathering offspring). By doing this, females can select stronger males or obtain better genetic material, ensuring the health of their offspring.



But modern women do not use moaning to attract more male attention and make choices in such an obvious way, nor can they mate with multiple males to trigger sperm competition. Moreover, these sounds are not entirely involuntary. So, what's the point of all this?



**Controlling Partners' Sexual Behavior**



Undoubtedly, moaning can instantly ignite a man's desire and influence his sexual behavior. But when asked, "Why do you moan?" the answer is a bit surprising—66% of the study participants said they moaned to make their partners ejaculate faster!



When women do not experience pleasure during intercourse but feel discomfort, pain, or find the process boring and tiring, they may use moaning to stimulate men to ejaculate quickly. This can help avoid rough sex and reduce the risk of injuries and infections. Of course, when women feel time is short and need to finish quickly, they might also use this strategy to end the thrusting.



Moreover, moaning can help women get what they want. Although talking about sex with a partner is not indecent or hard to discuss, expressing what they want in bed and taking action can still make women feel a bit embarrassed. Even if they do say it, there is a high chance that the man's actions will not match their expectations. By using moaning, women can subtly and directly communicate their preferences, telling men what they like and making their partners' actions more in line with their desires.



**Strengthening Relationships**



So, according to the above, is moaning mostly just a way to manipulate partners? Of course not—in Brewer's study, 92% of participants said they felt that moaning increased their partners' confidence during sex, and 87% explicitly stated that this was their purpose for moaning. It's not about deception; it's about communication, signaling that they are doing a great job and are an ideal lover.



However, looking deeper or from the perspective of our primate relatives, the truth might seem a bit harsh—females increase their partners' confidence through moaning to strengthen their bond, ensuring they are not abandoned and continue to receive the security and material support provided by men.



Of course, moaning is still an individual matter. Considering the sample size and coverage, it is necessary to expand the scope of the survey further. As for daily life, just moan when you feel like it, whenever you feel like it.