Skip to content
WebMD: Better Information. Better Health.
Other search tools:Symptoms|Doctors|Videos
Font Size
A
A
A

6 Sex Mistakes Women Make

WebMD explains the 6 biggest sex mistakes women make and reasons why women make them.
By Lisa Zamosky
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Ladies, be honest: when your sex life becomes a little humdrum, out comes the mental catalogue of all the ways your partner isn’t quite measuring up.  Guys tend to get a bad rap when it comes to understanding women’s bodies and what turns us on, making them easy targets in the blame game when sexual satisfaction starts to wane.  And sure, they make their fair share of bedroom errors. But as the saying goes, it takes two to tango. As it turns out, top sex and relationship experts say that women make plenty of sex mistakes of their own.  Here’s what they have to say about the six most common mistakes women make in the bedroom and what you can do to get the satisfaction you so rightly deserve.

Sex Mistake #1: Not Initiating Sex With Your Partner

It’s 2009 and still, many of us worry about ladylike behavior.  We don’t want to appear pushy or come on too strong for fear of being labeled aggressive. According to Les Parrot, professor of psychology at Seattle Pacific University and author of a new book called Crazy Good Sex, failing to initiate sex is one of the biggest mistakes women make. 

“Most guys feel like they are always the initiator and that sets up disequilibrium on the passion scale in the relationship,” he says.  Generally, men want to be pursued by their partners just as much as women do.

Holding onto outdated ideas about sex roles also inhibits satisfaction with our sexual relationships, says "Dr. Ruth," aka Ruth Westheimer, PhD, a psychosexual therapist, professor at New York University, and lecturer at Yale and Princeton universities.  “They used to think that women are less interested in sexual activity and I don’t want to say that anymore. I think there are women who are as interested in sex [as men].” 

Show your interest by taking the first step from time to time.  Your partner will likely appreciate it, and you may find a new level of satisfaction in taking responsibility for your sexual experience, something Westheimer feels strongly women must do.

Sex Mistake #2: Worrying About What You Look Like

Thinking about how you look during sex stops you from enjoying yourself and ruins your chances of achieving an orgasm.

“Don’t think about the fat on your belly or the makeup on your face,” advises Westheimer.  “Concentrate on the pleasure of the act.  You must give yourself permission to have an orgasm.”

“Men want their wives to abandon themselves in sex play, and that’s not likely if she is anxious about her physical concerns,” Parrott says.

Helen Fisher, PhD, a cultural anthropologist at Rutgers University and author of a new book called Why Him, Why Her, says men don’t notice half the things women obsess about anyway. 

1 | 2 | 3

women's health newsletter

Growing older doesn't have to mean getting old. Sign up today to get WebMD's popular Women's Health newsletter for advice on growing older gracefully.

Love at
First Sight

Give your new pet
the best care.

webMD Video

Show or hide information about video: New-Mom Exercises: Back in Shape   New-Mom Exercises: Back in Shape

48x48_nb_back_in_shape.jpg

Here's what a mom can do to start getting back in shape shortly after leaving the hospital.

Watch Video: New-Mom Exercises: Back in Shape (opens in a new window)

Show or hide information about video: Arm Lifts for Arm Fat   Arm Lifts for Arm Fat

Show or hide information about video: Is Your Pillow Dead? How to Know   Is Your Pillow Dead? How to Know

Show or hide information about video: Help for Women's Sexual Problems   Help for Women's Sexual Problems

Show or hide information about video: Is It Really Organic?   Is It Really Organic?