Female squirting is the expulsion of fluid from the urethra during sexual arousal or orgasm. The fluid is mostly diluted urine that rapidly accumulates in the bladder during stimulation, mixed with secretions from small glands near the urethral opening. It’s a normal physiological response, not a sign of anything wrong, and somewhere between 40 and 54 percent of women report experiencing it at some point.
Two Types of Fluid, Two Different Sources
Scientists now distinguish between two related but different events that often get lumped together. The first is female ejaculation in the strict sense: a small amount of milky white fluid released from two tiny glands that sit on either side of the urethral opening. These glands, each roughly the size of a small blueberry, produce a mucus-like substance containing proteins similar to those found in male semen. Researchers consider them the female equivalent of the prostate gland, and the fluid they produce is genuinely different from urine.
The second event is squirting, which involves a much larger volume of clear fluid, sometimes comparable to a glass of water. This fluid comes from the bladder and exits through the urethra. In many women, both events happen simultaneously, so the expelled liquid is a mixture of the two.
What the Fluid Contains
Chemical analysis of squirting fluid shows it contains water, urea, creatinine, uric acid, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The first three of those are the same waste products found in urine, which is why some people call squirting “just peeing.” That’s an oversimplification. The fluid is significantly more diluted than normal urine, and the presence of PSA, which comes from those small glands near the urethra, confirms that it isn’t simply urine released during orgasm. It’s a distinct fluid with urine-like components.
How the Bladder Fills So Quickly
A French research team led by gynecologist Samuel Salama performed ultrasound scans on seven women before, during, and after sexual stimulation to track where the fluid comes from. The women emptied their bladders completely before the study began, and scans confirmed their bladders were empty. After a period of sexual arousal but before orgasm, new scans showed the bladders had completely refilled, despite the women not drinking additional water. After the women climaxed and squirted, their bladders were empty again.
This means the kidneys rapidly produce and send fluid to the bladder during arousal. The mechanism behind this rapid filling isn’t fully understood, but the ultrasound evidence makes the bladder’s role clear. The fluid accumulates specifically in response to sexual stimulation, not because of normal urine production timelines.
The Glands Behind Female Ejaculation
The glands responsible for the milky, non-urine component sit just inside the urethral opening and are nearly impossible to see with the naked eye. Their tissue swells during sexual arousal, and they secrete fluid that serves a few purposes: lubricating the urethral opening, helping prevent urinary tract infections by creating a protective barrier against bacteria, and contributing to sexual lubrication.
During orgasm, these glands can release a more concentrated burst of fluid. Not all women produce enough of this secretion to notice it, and the glands themselves vary in size from person to person, which likely explains some of the variation in who experiences ejaculation and how much fluid is involved.
How Common Squirting Actually Is
Estimates vary depending on how the question is asked. In one population survey of 233 women, 54 percent reported a spurt of fluid at orgasm. A larger mail survey of 1,172 women found that about 40 percent identified as experiencing ejaculation. The wide range reflects both differences in definitions and the fact that many women may produce small amounts of fluid without realizing it.
When researchers asked participants to estimate how common they thought ejaculation was among women generally, the most common guess was around 10 percent. The actual numbers from surveys suggest it’s far more prevalent than most people assume. Volume varies enormously, from barely noticeable moisture to enough fluid to soak through bedsheets, and both ends of that spectrum are physiologically normal.
Why It Happens
There’s no confirmed evolutionary purpose for squirting specifically. Some researchers have proposed that the glandular secretions help with lubrication or create an environment that’s more hospitable during intercourse. The rapid bladder-filling mechanism during arousal doesn’t have a clear explanation yet.
The broader context of female orgasm may offer a clue. Evolutionary biologists at Yale have theorized that the female orgasm is a remnant of an older reproductive system. In animals like rabbits, cats, and ferrets, the hormonal surge triggered by clitoral stimulation during mating is what triggers ovulation. Humans evolved a different ovulation cycle, but the neurological and hormonal wiring for that response was preserved. Squirting may simply be one expression of this complex arousal response that no longer serves a direct reproductive function but persists because there’s no evolutionary pressure to eliminate it.
What It Looks and Feels Like
Squirting fluid is typically clear and watery, with little to no odor, distinguishing it from regular urine. The smaller-volume ejaculate from the glands near the urethra tends to be thicker and whitish. When both happen together, the result is mostly clear fluid with a slightly different consistency than water.
Many women describe the sensation as a sudden feeling of release or pressure relief during or just before orgasm. Some women squirt without orgasming, and some orgasm without squirting. The two events are related but not identical. The sensation is often preceded by a feeling of fullness or pressure in the lower pelvis, which makes sense given that the bladder is rapidly filling during arousal. Women who squirt regularly often note that bearing down or relaxing the pelvic floor muscles during that pressure sensation is what allows the fluid to release, while tensing up tends to prevent it.