A new academic study from Portugal has found that most adult women have limited knowledge of their own sexual anatomy, a gap that experts say reflects broader failures in sexual education that begin in early childhood.
The study, published in the International Journal of Sexual Health, examined masturbation habits and sexual knowledge among 469 women. Researchers found that 74% of participants had low to moderate knowledge of female genital anatomy, with most reporting minimal understanding of the clitoris.
Israeli sexual health educator and therapist Sivan Lotan said the findings mirror patterns she sees in her work. Lotan, 36, is a certified sex therapist, social worker and lecturer based in Tel Aviv who specializes in healthy sexuality education.
“The problem starts very early,” Lotan said. “When girls are not taught the names of their genital organs, it becomes something they cannot think about, imagine or relate to. Without language, knowledge doesn’t develop.”
Lotan said the anatomical knowledge gap is reinforced by the way sexuality is taught in schools, where female anatomy is often presented only through the lens of reproduction rather than pleasure or self-awareness. By contrast, she said, boys are more likely to develop familiarity with their bodies naturally.
The Portuguese study also found that single women reported masturbating more frequently than women in relationships, and that partnered women were more likely to masturbate when they felt sexually unsatisfied. Lotan cautioned against interpreting those findings as evidence of relationship failure.
“Masturbation and partnered sex serve different psychological needs,” she said. “Sex with a partner is about intimacy and connection. Masturbation is a basic self-regulating behavior — like eating or sleeping — that can help with stress, boredom or emotional balance.”
Researchers also found that women who masturbated more during adolescence were more likely to experience orgasms in adulthood, particularly vaginal orgasms. According to Lotan, this points to the long-term benefits of early bodily familiarity.
“When someone learns from a young age what feels good, they can later communicate that more clearly to a partner,” she said. “It also builds emotional comfort with pleasure.”
Religious belief emerged as another significant factor in the study. Women who identified as religious were less likely to masturbate and more likely to view the practice negatively. Although the research focused on Christian women, Lotan said similar dynamics exist within Jewish communities.
“Even where there is no formal religious prohibition for women, negative messages about sexuality are absorbed culturally,” she said. “Across monotheistic religions, sexuality is often legitimized only within marriage and for reproduction.”
Lotan said stigma surrounding female masturbation continues to affect sexual health outcomes and emotional well-being. She and other educators are working to introduce more comprehensive approaches to anatomy education, including encouraging girls to become familiar with their bodies in age-appropriate ways.
“One of the most controversial things we suggest is using a mirror to learn anatomy,” she said. “That idea still meets resistance in schools, where education remains focused almost entirely on fertility.”
Lotan has developed training programs for educators that integrate anatomy, pleasure and bodily autonomy in a medically grounded way. She said research increasingly supports teaching children that safe, private self-touch is a normal part of development.
“If positive messages about the body are internalized early,” she said, “there is no need to undo shame later in life.”
The study’s authors said their findings underscore the need for broader sexual health education that goes beyond risk prevention and addresses knowledge, autonomy and well-being throughout the life cycle.