The missionary position or man-on-top position is generally a sex position in which

a woman lies on her back and a man lies on top of her while they face each other
and engage in sexual intercourse or other sexual activity.[1][2][3] Though commonly
associated with heterosexual sexual activity, the sex position is also used by gay
and lesbian couples.[2]

The missionary position may involve sexual penetration or non-penetrative sex (for
example, intercrural sex), and its penile-vaginal aspect is an example of ventro-
ventral (front-to-front) reproductive activity.[4] Variations of the position allow
varying degrees of vaginal tightness, clitoral stimulation, depth of penetration,
participation on the part of the woman, and the likelihood and speed of orgasm.

It is commonly believed that the term missionary position arose in connection with
Christian missionaries, who supposedly encouraged the sexual position in new
converts in the colonial era.[5] However, the term probably originated from Alfred
Kinsey's Sexual Behavior in the Human Male through a confluence of
misunderstandings and misinterpretations of historical documents.[6][7] Tuscans
refer to the position as the Angelic position while some Arabic-speaking groups
call it the manner of serpents.[8]

The missionary position is often preferred by couples who enjoy the romantic
aspects of ample skin-to-skin contact and opportunities to look into each other's
eyes and kiss and caress each other. The position is also believed to be a good
position for reproduction.[9] During sexual activity, the missionary position
allows the man to take charge of the rhythm and depth of pelvic thrusting. It is
also possible for the woman to thrust against him by moving her hips or pushing her
feet against the bed, or squeeze him closer with her arms or legs. The position is
less suitable for late stages of pregnancy, or when it is desired for the woman to
have greater control over rhythm and depth of penetration.
In the missionary position, a woman lies on her back on a bed or other surface with
her legs comfortably spread with the soles of the feet resting. The penetrating
partner may approach the woman on his knees between her spread legs; and either
uses his arms to hold himself up, or lets his weight rest on her. When the woman's
vagina is sufficiently lubricated, which may involve fingering her vulva or
clitoris in particular, the man will level his erect penis with her vagina for
penetration, and may use fingers to open the woman's labia and guide the penis in.

With the penis inside the woman's vagina, the man can control the force, depth,
pace, and rhythm of thrusts, and can also control to some extent the female
partner's movements. Subject to the man's weight and position, the woman may have
some control by pushing her feet and legs against the mattress and by side
movements in her pelvis as well as by clutching onto and moving with her partner.
[14] A woman can increase the force of a man's thrust by moving against the man's
rhythm.

The man may straddle the woman, taking the woman's legs between his. This restricts
and further controls the woman's movements, and the man can increase the tightness
on the penis by pressing the woman's thighs together. However, this increases
vaginal friction and makes thrusting more difficult.

During sexual intercourse, most women experience involuntary vaginal contractions.

[15] The contraction causes the pelvic muscles to tighten around the penis, which
in turn increases the level of her partner's arousal and sexual frenzy and results
in the man increasing the pace and force of thrusts as he approaches orgasm; which
in turn further increases the woman's vaginal contraction. After a man has achieved
orgasm, he will normally collapse onto the woman and will normally not be capable
of further thrusting. Some men try to control their orgasm until their female
partner also orgasms, but this is not always achieved. At times, a woman can
achieve orgasm after the man has ceased thrusting by contracting her vaginal
muscles and with pelvic movements, or the couple may change to another position
that enables the woman to continue thrusting until she has reached orgasm, such as
a woman on top position.

During sexual intercourse in the missionary position, the penis is in preferential

contact with the anterior wall of the vagina and the tip of the penis reaches the
anterior fornix, while in the rear-entry position it is in preferential contact
with the posterior wall of the vagina and probably reaches the posterior fornix.
[16]