Squirting is the expulsion of fluid through the urethra during sexual arousal or orgasm. It involves a combination of diluted fluid from the bladder and secretions from small glands near the urethra, and it results from intense stimulation of the sensitive tissue along the front wall of the vagina. Somewhere between 10% and 54% of women report experiencing it, depending on the survey, making it common but far from universal.
The Anatomy Behind It
The key players are the Skene’s glands, two small structures located on either side of the urethral opening. These glands develop from the same embryonic cells that become the prostate in males, which is why they’re sometimes called the “female prostate.” During sexual arousal, the tissue surrounding the Skene’s glands swells with blood. The glands then secrete a milky fluid that contains proteins similar to those found in male semen, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA).
The Skene’s glands sit within a larger complex of erectile tissue that includes the internal branches of the clitoris, the urethra, and surrounding spongy tissue. This entire region runs along the front (belly-side) wall of the vagina. When pressure is applied to this area from inside the vagina, it compresses and stimulates all of these structures at once. That’s why the sensation is distinct from clitoral stimulation alone and why this region is commonly associated with squirting.
What the Fluid Actually Contains
Researchers now recognize that what people call “squirting” involves two different fluids that can be released at the same time. Understanding the distinction helps explain why there’s been so much confusion about whether squirting is “just urine.”
The first fluid is true female ejaculate: a small amount (usually just a few drops) of thick, whitish secretion from the Skene’s glands. Biochemical analysis shows it contains high concentrations of PSA, glucose, and fructose, with virtually no urea or creatinine. This fluid is chemically distinct from urine.
The second fluid is what most people mean when they say “squirting”: a much larger volume, sometimes tens of milliliters, expelled through the urethra. This fluid originates from the bladder and contains urea, creatinine, and uric acid, the same waste products found in urine. However, it’s significantly more dilute than normal urine, with lower density and altered concentrations. It appears the bladder rapidly fills during arousal and the fluid that accumulates is a changed, diluted form of urine rather than stored urine that was already present.
In practice, most squirting episodes involve a mix of both fluids. The Skene’s gland secretion and the diluted bladder fluid are released simultaneously through the urethra, which is why lab results from squirting samples show traces of both PSA and urinary markers.
How Stimulation Triggers It
Squirting is most commonly reported during stimulation of the area along the front vaginal wall, roughly 2 to 3 inches inside the vaginal opening. This is the region historically referred to as the G-spot, though anatomists describe it less as a single “spot” and more as a zone where the clitoral structures, Skene’s glands, and urethra overlap. When stimulated, this area swells noticeably, feeling ridged or spongy to the touch.
Firm, rhythmic pressure against this swollen tissue, typically with a “come hither” finger motion or with a curved toy, is the most frequently cited trigger. The sensation often starts as a feeling of fullness or the urge to urinate, which makes sense given the proximity to the urethra and bladder. Many people who squirt describe needing to relax into that sensation rather than tense against it. The release happens when the pelvic floor muscles contract and then relax rapidly, often during or just before orgasm, though squirting can occur without orgasm and orgasm can occur without squirting.
Arousal level matters significantly. The engorgement of tissue around the urethra during high arousal is what creates the conditions for fluid expulsion. Without sustained arousal, there’s less swelling, less glandular secretion, and less of the bladder-filling process that contributes to the larger volume of fluid.
Why Some People Squirt and Others Don’t
Survey data varies widely. One population-based survey found 54% of 233 women reported a spurt of fluid at orgasm. A separate large mail survey found about 40% of 1,172 respondents identified as ejaculators. On the other end, one clinical study put the number at under 5%. The range reflects differences in how the question is asked, how squirting is defined, and whether participants distinguish it from normal vaginal lubrication.
Part of the variation is anatomical. The Skene’s glands vary considerably in size from person to person, and in some women they’re virtually absent. People with larger, more developed Skene’s glands are more likely to produce noticeable ejaculatory fluid. Pelvic floor muscle tone also plays a role: stronger pelvic floor muscles generate more forceful contractions, which can expel fluid more noticeably.
Psychological factors matter too. Because the pre-squirting sensation closely mimics the urge to urinate, many people instinctively clench their muscles to hold back, which prevents the release. Comfort, trust, and familiarity with one’s own arousal patterns all influence whether someone can relax enough for it to happen.
Squirting vs. Urinary Incontinence
Because squirting fluid passes through the urethra and contains some urinary components, it’s sometimes confused with coital urinary incontinence, which is involuntary urine leakage during sex. The International Continence Society considers these distinct phenomena. Coital incontinence typically occurs during penetration due to pressure on the bladder and is associated with pelvic floor weakness. It can happen at any point during sex, not specifically tied to arousal peaks.
Squirting, by contrast, is linked to high arousal states and orgasm. The fluid is biochemically different from normal urine (more dilute, with PSA present), and the expulsion coincides with the rhythmic muscular contractions of sexual response rather than with mechanical pressure on the bladder. That said, both can happen during the same sexual encounter, and the fluid can originate from the vagina, the bladder, the Skene’s glands, or a combination of all three.
Why It Exists at All
Scientists don’t have a definitive answer for why squirting evolved, but several hypotheses exist. One possibility is that it’s simply a byproduct of shared developmental anatomy between males and females. Because the Skene’s glands and the male prostate develop from the same tissue, ejaculatory function in women may exist because the underlying biology was selected for in men.
A more recent hypothesis suggests a direct reproductive benefit. The PSA in female ejaculate may enhance sperm motility, potentially improving the chances of conception. Another theory proposes that the antimicrobial properties of Skene’s gland secretions help protect the urethral opening from infection, giving the glands a practical health function beyond sexual response. The Skene’s glands do appear to secrete a protective substance during urination that helps prevent urinary tract infections, so their role during sex may be an extension of that same protective function.