Squirting happens when fluid is expelled from the urethra during sexual arousal or orgasm, typically in response to internal stimulation of the front vaginal wall. It’s a real physiological response that somewhere between 10 and 54 percent of women report experiencing, depending on the survey. Understanding what’s actually happening in the body helps clear up the confusion that surrounds this topic.
What Happens in the Body
Two small glands called the Skene’s glands sit on either side of the urethra. These glands develop from the same embryonic tissue that becomes the prostate in males, which is why they’re sometimes called the “female prostate.” During sexual arousal, increased blood flow causes these glands to swell. They produce a milky fluid that contains some of the same proteins found in male prostatic fluid, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA), fructose, and glucose at concentrations distinct from urine.
The area around the urethral opening visibly changes during intense arousal. In one well-documented case study, researchers observed the tissue push outward and shift from pink to a deep burgundy color in the seconds before orgasm and fluid release. This swelling and engorgement of the surrounding tissue is part of what builds the sensation of pressure many women describe before squirting occurs.
Ejaculation and Squirting Are Two Different Things
Research published in 2011 drew an important distinction that often gets lost in casual conversation. There are actually two separate fluid responses:
- Female ejaculation produces a small amount of thick, whitish fluid from the Skene’s glands. This is biochemically similar to diluted prostatic fluid and is clearly different from urine in lab analysis.
- Squirting involves a larger volume of thin, clear fluid expelled from the urethra. This fluid is chemically closer to very dilute urine, though it can also contain secretions from the Skene’s glands.
Both can happen at the same time, and many women experience a mix of the two without realizing they’re separate processes. The dramatic, high-volume expulsion most people associate with the word “squirting” is the second type.
The Role of G-Spot Stimulation
The front wall of the vagina, about one to two inches inside, sits directly against the Skene’s glands and surrounding spongy tissue. This area, commonly called the G-spot, is the primary trigger point. In early case studies on female ejaculation, the subject only experienced fluid expulsion when this specific area was stimulated. Clitoral stimulation alone produced orgasms but no expulsion. Once her partner applied focused pressure to the G-spot, expulsions occurred after less than a minute and repeated in quick succession with roughly a minute between each one.
This doesn’t mean clitoral stimulation is irrelevant. The internal tissue that surrounds the urethra (where the Skene’s glands sit) is connected to the broader clitoral network, which extends internally much farther than most people realize. Combining both types of stimulation at the same time is what sex educators most commonly recommend.
What Tends to Work in Practice
Manual stimulation, using fingers with a “come hither” motion against the front vaginal wall, is more likely to produce squirting than penetration with a penis or dildo. The reason is precision: fingers can apply targeted, consistent pressure to a small area in a way that thrusting typically doesn’t.
Sex educators suggest a layered approach. Start with whatever external stimulation builds arousal, then use fingers or a curved toy to locate and massage the G-spot while continuing clitoral contact. The giving partner can use their mouth on the clitoris while using their fingers internally, or the receiving partner can handle clitoral stimulation themselves. The key is sustained arousal combined with firm, rhythmic pressure on the front vaginal wall.
Many women describe a sensation similar to needing to urinate as the Skene’s glands and surrounding tissue become engorged. This is often the point where the body is close to releasing fluid, but the unfamiliar pressure causes a reflexive tensing up. Relaxing through that sensation, rather than fighting it, is one of the most commonly cited factors in whether squirting actually happens.
How Common It Actually Is
Prevalence estimates vary wildly depending on how the question is asked. One population survey of 233 women found 54 percent reported a spurt of fluid at orgasm. A larger mail survey of over 1,100 women put the number at about 40 percent. A much stricter clinical study of 300 women found only 4.7 percent. The wide range reflects differences in definitions, self-reporting accuracy, and whether researchers distinguished between the small-volume ejaculation and the more noticeable squirting.
What’s clear is that it’s a normal physiological response, not something rare or abnormal. Some women experience it easily, some only under specific conditions, and some never do regardless of technique. Anatomical variation in the size and development of the Skene’s glands likely plays a role. These glands vary significantly from person to person, and in some women they’re barely detectable, which may explain why the experience isn’t universal.