This IFL Science article looks into the scientific origins of the female orgasm. Get an excerpt below, then the full piece here:

“Questions about women’s orgasms are, alas, still common, but evolutionary biologists are more concerned with the why than the how. One theory holds that it represents an adaptation of the mechanism seen in other animals where sex stimulates ovulation. For the first time, evidence has been found for this idea, although it’s still far from conclusive. Orgasm involves a complex set of neurological triggers, making it something unlikely to evolve by chance. Such phenomena usually require strong pressure from natural selection, with those who experience orgasm being more likely to have healthy offspring. Yet we know that, unlike for men, a female orgasm is not necessary for conception.”