In-depth probe fails to hit the G-spot

UK researchers have concluded that the legendary G-spot - the earth-moving button allegedly sited in the front wall of the vagina - "may be a figment of women's imagination, encouraged by magazines and sex therapists".

That's according to a King's College London team who probed 1,800 women for the benefit of readers of the Journal of Sexual Medicine and concluded there was no real proof for the Gräfenberg Spot.

The researchers' subjects were all pairs of identical and non-identical twins, who were asked whether they had a G-spot. The BBC explains that "if one did exist, it would be expected that both identical twins, who have the same genes, would report having one".

This wasn't the case, however, "and the identical twins were no more likely to share a G-spot than non-identical twins who share only half of their genes".

Professor Tim Spector, who co-authored the study, said: "Women may argue that having a G-spot is due to diet or exercise, but in fact it is virtually impossible to find real traits.

"This is by far the biggest study ever carried out and shows fairly conclusively that the idea of a G-spot is subjective."

Spector's colleague Andrea Burri expressed concern that "women who feared they lacked a G-spot might feel inadequate", and criticised: "It is rather irresponsible to claim the existence of an entity that has never been proven and pressurise women and men too."

Sexologist Beverley Whipple - whose 1982 book The G Spot and Other Recent Discoveries first popularised the elusive erogenous zone - wasn't too impressed with the KCL findings. She called them "flawed", and insisted the research "discounted the experiences of lesbian or bisexual women and failed to consider the effects of having different sexual partners with different love-making techniques".

Well, we have no doubt there are many among you who'd be more than willing to participate in the hunt for the G-spot to settle the matter once and for all, and Dr Petra Boynton, a University College London sexual psychologist, rather kindly conceded: "It's fine to go looking for the G-spot but do not worry if you don't find it. It should not be the only focus. Everyone is different." ®