We've long suspected that there's something of a gender gap when it comes to climaxing during sex, but new research has lifted the lid on the lack of 'orgasm equity' in UK bedrooms.

It turns out that women are having up to four times less orgasms than their male counterparts, with almost half (43%) of sexually active women in the UK admitting to having faked an orgasm at some point, compared to just under a third (32%) of men.

The so-called 'orgasm gap', as it has been dubbed, is further highlighted with figures revealing that just 5% of women say they always orgasm during a sexual encounter, versus 20% of men.

When it comes to penetrative sex, the difference between the sexes seems to ramp up with four in 10 (40%) sexually active women saying they never or very rarely achieve orgasm through this activity alone, compared to around 1 in 10 men (12%).

Unsurprisingly this is having a knock on effect on emotions, with the 2,000 women surveyed, by sexual wellbeing brand Durex, claiming to feel disappointed (22%) and frustrated (20%) when they don’t reach orgasm during a sexual encounter with a partner.

Read more: 9 ways to increase your chances of having an orgasm

For around one in 10 (11%) women, however, not having an orgasm is something they've got so used to they feel nothing when they don't experience one.

With so many encounters not resulting in the big 'O' it's little wonder that many females are faking it, with nearly one in 10 (8%) sexually active women admitting to pretending to climax around half the time they have sex.

Of the women who have 'fauxgasm-ed', the main reason half gave was to avoid making their partner feel bad or hurt their feelings, while 40% claimed they did it to bring a sexual encounter to an end.

While there's nothing wrong with faking it, just ask Vanessa Feltz, Durex are on a mission to campaign for 'orgasm equity', teaming up with sex expert Alix Fox to bring some more balance in the bedroom.

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“Durex’s research underlines the fact that women are frequently experiencing less pleasure and less satisfaction than men during partnered sexual encounters" Fox explains. "So it’s time to concentrate on giving them the extra stimulation, time, and focus on their needs and desires that can help make the action in the bedroom more fairly balanced.

"The findings illustrate how women can sometimes be on the losing side when it comes to feeling fulfilled during sex, and how gutting it can be when play is stopped before they’ve had chance to savour their moment of climax. Let’s kick off conversations about how to help make things better!”

Thankfully there are some tips and tricks you can try to redress the orgasm balance.

Warm up

When it comes to finding mutual ground in terms of turn-ons, it seems foreplay is key to both sexes in achieving orgasm.

Nearly a quarter (24%) of sexually active women and a fifth (19%) of sexually active men claim it is "essential", and around a third of men (30%) and women (29%) say it is very important.

However, twice as many sexually active men (8%) as women (4%) say foreplay is not important in helping them achieve orgasm.

"Warm up properly!" suggests Fox. "Focus on foreplay, and don’t make hurrying towards penetration your sole goal."

Watch: Sex coach can 'orgasm on demand' - using only her mind

Acknowledge differing approaches

Experimentation with sex toys is a point of difference between the genders. Nearly a fifth (19%) of women cite this as one of the ways they’re most likely to orgasm, versus just 6% of men.

Meanwhile, men say they are more inclined to prefer visual stimulation, such as photos or porn, with over one in eight (13%) men say it’s one of the most likely ways for them to achieve orgasm, versus just 2% of women.

"Technology can make the game fairer: toys can increase pleasure," Fox adds.

Read more: Eight ways to know you’ve just had an orgasm

Speak up

Being comfortable to be open and honest about sexual preferences is an area that can be a struggle, according to Fox.

One in five (20%) sexually active women and almost a quarter (23%) of sexually active men say they are uncomfortable talking to their partner about what they like and need to achieve an orgasm.

A further 6% of women and 4% of men saying they would never talk about it, but speaking honestly about your wants is vital.

"Communicate with your team," suggests Fox. "Develop ways to comfortably, constructively talk about sex together, and make it a regular habit, since moods, needs and desires can change over time."

Dorian Solot, sex educator and co-author of I ❤️ Orgasms: A Guide to More (£16.99, Amazon) agrees that even an experienced partner needs feedback about what you need to reach orgasmland.

“You can communicate this with words (yes, it's OK and even recommended to talk during sex), moans, sighs, adjusting their hand or mouth, or classic-for-a-reason phrases like, 'Right there!', 'Don't stop!', or 'Yes, yes! Ohhh, yes!'” she tells Yahoo UK.

Take the pressure off

Javay Frye-Nekrasova, certified sex educator and sex expert for Lovehoney, believes there are some misconceptions surrounding orgasms that could help to explain why some people feel so much pressure to fake it, including the fact that you have to orgasm every time you engage in sexual activity.

"When you put the goal of orgasm on the sexual activity you are adding a layer of pressure that inherently detracts from the pleasure aspect of the sexual activity itself," she explains.

It's also worth noting that you shouldn't necessarily worry if you don't achieve an orgasm with your partner.

"The body can experience orgasms from a wide variety of stimulations so if one way does not lead to an orgasm it doesn't necessarily mean there is a problem," Frye-Nekrasova continues. "Another reason you don't need to worry is because it takes some time exploring your body to figure out what actually leads to pleasure that results in an orgasm."