The Rise Of “Orgasmic Birth”: The Science Behind Pairing Labor Pain With Pleasure

Birth stories used to sound alike: sterile rooms, bright lights, pain management in the form of big, scary needles. Yet more and more women are reclaiming childbirth as something profoundly personal and embodied — and even pleasurable. From water births to forest births, women are reimagining how their birth story not only gets to look, but feel too.

And since there are few things that feel better than experiencing an orgasm, that explains why some women are choosing to have an orgasmic birth.

While that might sound like a myth or maybe a steamy fantasy, one in three people polled in a 2024 survey from Fin PleasureVibe (a vibrator designed for this purpose) expressed interest in self-pleasure during labor. So, an orgasmic birth is, in fact, a reality for some women and an option increasingly being discussed among midwives, doulas, and doctors.

“This isn’t a new conversation, but it’s finally becoming a louder one—and I’m here for it,” Dr. Roxanne Pero, OB-GYN and member of O Positiv’s Medical Advisory Board, tells Scary Mommy. “As an integrative OB-GYN, I’ve seen how fear and taboo around sexual health have fueled miseducation and left women vulnerable, especially when it comes to childbirth. When women are able to bridge the gaps in education and body awareness across both sexual health and childbirth, that’s what true empowerment feels like. We need this now more than ever in women’s healthcare.”

In other words, it’s essential to recognize that the same body that’s capable of creating and giving life is also capable of feeling pleasure while doing it — and if a woman chooses to experience an orgasmic birth, then that should absolutely be her “birth” right to do so.

“I absolutely love [the idea of an orgasmic birth],” says Pero. “Over the years, and birth after birth in my OB practice, I began to see how hospital births can sometimes strip away the beauty, innate strength, and autonomy of the women giving birth. I started leaning into a different approach: asking each woman how she wanted her experience to be. We place so much emphasis on the health of the baby — which is, of course, essential — yet in doing so, we often overlook the opportunity for the mother to truly take center stage.”

If you are considering reframing your birth plan as something that doesn’t have to be purely about pain, then read on for experts’ insights on what it means to orgasm during labor and birth.

How do orgasms impact labor?

While the practice might raise eyebrows, from a physiological and physical standpoint, having orgasms during labor actually makes sense.

“During orgasm, the body releases oxytocin — the same hormone that drives uterine contractions during labor and promotes bonding after birth,” Pero explains. “Endogenous opioids, the body’s natural pain-relieving chemicals, are also released, creating feelings of relaxation and euphoria. These physiological responses mirror some of the processes that occur in childbirth.”

These elevated oxytocin levels, says Pero, can help the uterus contract more efficiently, support cervical dilation, and foster a sense of calm and connection.

“Meanwhile, the release of natural opioids can help reduce pain perception and anxiety, enhancing the overall birthing experience,” she says. “In essence, the body’s capacity for pleasure and its ability to give birth are deeply intertwined through shared hormonal and neurological pathways.”

Should you orgasm at home or at a hospital?

Orgasming is a personal and sensual experience.... do you really want to do it in a clinical setting under bright lights and a doctor wearing a surgical mask?

Didn’t think so.

That’s why Pero believes that a home birth setting offers the safest and most supportive environment to explore an orgasmic birth.

“In this setting, women often build a deep, trusting relationship with their midwife, who visits them in their own home for 30-minute to one-hour prenatal appointments,” she says. “The midwife gets to know the family, the space, and the energy of the home, creating a true sense of safety and familiarity in the environment where birth will take place.”

In contrast, Pero says this kind of bond is “difficult” to cultivate in a hospital-based setting.

“Although I’ve formed meaningful connections with the women I’ve helped deliver, the reality is that most prenatal visits are limited to about 15 minutes, with much of the focus on the baby’s health rather than the mother’s emotional readiness or birth plan,” she shares. “Education about labor and delivery is typically condensed into a weekend crash course. Given these constraints, it’s easy to see why conversations around pleasure in childbirth remain challenging for many conventional OBs to approach.”

What are the benefits of an orgasmic birth?

“Studies show that the most effective ways to create a positive birth experience are through strong support during labor, minimal unnecessary intervention, and thorough birth preparation,” Pero shares. “True preparation isn’t just about logistics; it’s about body awareness and acceptance. This is where open conversations about concepts like orgasmic birth can play a powerful role, helping women connect more deeply with their bodies and ultimately shaping more positive birthing experiences.”

But because there is still a deep taboo surrounding women’s sexual health and pleasure and because many women have also experienced negative or traumatic sexual encounters, Pero says it’s common that most women don’t feel comfortable sharing these experiences — even with their OB or midwife.

This, she says, is where true change needs to happen. “[We need a] cultural reframing and a shift within Western medical education. Only then can we fully embrace the idea that pleasure and empowerment in childbirth aren’t indulgent concepts, but powerful tools that can profoundly benefit women’s experiences and outcomes.”

Is an orgasmic birth truly empowering?

Experiencing an “O” while giving birth sounds like the ultimate power move for a woman, but as Pero puts it, it requires vulnerability, advocacy, and being informed.

“I truly believe this approach is empowering, but it requires each woman to take an active role in shaping her own birthing experience,” says Pero. “If she desires the most fulfilling experience possible, she must come informed, confident, and ready to advocate for herself. Being open and vulnerable with her care team — nurses, midwives, and physicians — becomes much easier when she understands the science and physiology behind labor and birth. She’s not an uninformed patient; she’s an educated, enlightened participant, fully present and excited for one of the most monumental moments of her life.”