Female ejaculation happens when small glands near the urethra release fluid during sexual arousal or orgasm. The process involves a pair of structures called the Skene’s glands, sometimes referred to as the “female prostate,” which sit on either side of the urethral opening. When stimulated, these glands produce and expel a thick, milky fluid in small quantities, typically around 1 milliliter. Less than half of women report experiencing it, and the amount and frequency can vary widely from person to person.
The Glands Behind It
The Skene’s glands are two tiny glands located at the lower end of the urethra, nestled in the tissue of the vulva. They function in a way that’s surprisingly similar to the male prostate. The fluid they produce contains proteins and enzymes that closely match components found in semen, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA), fructose, and glucose. This chemical overlap is the reason researchers began calling them the female prostate.
These glands vary in size from person to person. Some women have larger, more developed Skene’s glands, while others have smaller ones. This anatomical variation likely explains why some women ejaculate easily while others never do. It’s not a matter of technique or arousal level alone; the physical hardware plays a significant role.
What Triggers It
The Skene’s glands sit in a zone where the urethra, the internal structure of the clitoris, and the front wall of the vagina all converge. This is the area commonly referred to as the G-spot, located on the anterior (front) vaginal wall, roughly a couple of inches inside the vaginal opening. Pressure on this area doesn’t stimulate a single “button” so much as it applies indirect pressure to the surrounding tissue, including the Skene’s glands and the internal roots of the clitoris.
When these glands are stimulated through the vaginal wall, they fill with fluid and eventually release it through two small ducts that open near the urethral opening. This release can happen during orgasm or during intense arousal without orgasm. Many women describe a building pressure or a sensation similar to needing to urinate just before it happens, which makes sense given how close the glands are to the urethra and bladder.
Ejaculation and Squirting Are Two Different Things
One of the biggest sources of confusion is that “female ejaculation” and “squirting” are often used interchangeably, but they are physiologically distinct events. True female ejaculation involves a small volume of thick, whitish fluid from the Skene’s glands. It can be subtle enough that many women don’t even notice it, especially if it happens during intercourse.
Squirting, on the other hand, involves a much larger volume of clear fluid, sometimes tens to hundreds of milliliters, expelled from the urethra. Researchers using pelvic ultrasounds have shown that this fluid originates from the bladder. Chemical analysis confirms it contains urea, creatinine, and uric acid, all markers of kidney-produced fluid. In short, squirting fluid is dilute urine, though in some women it also contains small amounts of PSA from the Skene’s glands, suggesting both processes can happen simultaneously.
A 2015 study that scanned women’s bladders before and after squirting found that even when participants emptied their bladders immediately before sexual activity, the bladder refilled rapidly during arousal and emptied again at the moment of squirting. This rapid filling appears to be a physiological response to arousal itself, not a sign of incontinence.
What the Fluid Actually Contains
The composition of female ejaculate is distinct from both urine and vaginal lubrication. Vaginal lubrication is produced by glands inside the vaginal walls and serves to reduce friction. Female ejaculate, by contrast, comes from the Skene’s glands and contains PSA, fructose, and glucose in concentrations similar to what’s found in male seminal fluid. It does not contain sperm.
Squirting fluid has a different profile. Because it comes from the bladder, its primary components are the same waste products found in urine, though typically in a more diluted form. In studies where researchers tested both the initial urine sample and the squirted fluid of the same women, PSA was absent from the urine but present in the squirted fluid of some participants. This confirmed that Skene’s gland secretions were mixing with the bladder fluid on its way out.
How Common It Is
Surveys suggest that fewer than 50% of women have experienced ejaculation during sexual stimulation. That number likely captures both true ejaculation and squirting, since most people don’t distinguish between the two. The actual prevalence of Skene’s gland ejaculation specifically is harder to pin down because the volume is so small it can easily go unnoticed, especially during partnered sex when other fluids are present.
Women who do experience it consistently often report that firm, rhythmic pressure on the front vaginal wall is the most reliable trigger. Fingers tend to be more effective than penetrative intercourse for this, simply because they allow more targeted pressure on the right area. That said, there’s no guaranteed method. The size and responsiveness of the Skene’s glands, overall arousal, pelvic floor muscle tone, and psychological comfort all factor in. Not experiencing ejaculation is completely normal and has no bearing on sexual health or the ability to orgasm.
Why It Feels Like Needing to Urinate
The sensation of pressure or urgency that precedes ejaculation is one of the most commonly reported aspects of the experience, and it causes many women to tense up or stop stimulation. Because the Skene’s glands sit right alongside the urethra, and because squirting fluid does pass through the urethra from the bladder, the nerve signals are nearly identical to those that signal a full bladder. This doesn’t mean you’re about to urinate. The feeling is a side effect of the anatomy involved. Women who are able to relax through that sensation rather than resisting it are more likely to experience fluid release.