When women squirt, the fluid is primarily a dilute liquid released from the bladder, though it often contains small amounts of secretions from glands near the urethra. Research over the past decade has clarified that “squirting” and “female ejaculation” are actually two distinct events that can happen separately or at the same time, each producing a different fluid from a different source.
Two Different Fluids, Two Different Sources
Scientists now distinguish between squirting and female ejaculation as separate phenomena, even though most people use the terms interchangeably.
Squirting produces a larger volume of clear, watery fluid. This liquid exits through the urethra and originates from the bladder. Chemically, it resembles very dilute urine: it contains urea, creatinine, and uric acid, but at much lower concentrations than normal urine. In one detailed case study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, researchers measured the squirting fluid and found a density of about 1,002, with urea around 417 mg/dL and creatinine around 21 mg/dL. Those numbers sit well below typical urine values, which is why the fluid looks, smells, and feels different from pee. The volume can be substantial enough to soak through sheets.
Female ejaculate is a separate fluid: a small amount of thick, milky white liquid. It comes from two tiny glands called the Skene’s glands (sometimes called the “female prostate”), which sit on either side of the urethral opening. Each gland is roughly the size of a small blueberry. These glands develop from the same embryonic tissue that becomes the prostate in males, and the fluid they produce is biochemically similar to some components of male semen. It’s rich in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and contains fructose and glucose, while being very low in creatinine. In lab analysis, researchers confirmed this fluid’s chemical profile matches prostate plasma rather than urine.
Many women release both fluids simultaneously during orgasm, which is why the two have been confused for so long. The squirting fluid can essentially “wash out” the smaller amount of ejaculate, mixing together into one expulsion.
Why It’s Not Simply Urine
The question of whether squirting is “just peeing” comes up constantly, and the answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no. The larger-volume squirting fluid does come from the bladder and shares some chemical markers with urine. Ultrasound studies have shown the bladder filling rapidly during arousal and emptying during the squirting event, even in women who urinated immediately beforehand.
But the composition is measurably different. The concentrations of urea, creatinine, and uric acid are significantly diluted compared to a normal urine sample. The fluid also frequently contains PSA, which the bladder and kidneys don’t produce. This suggests that secretions from the Skene’s glands mix into the fluid as it passes through the urethra. So while the bladder is the reservoir, the end product is a modified fluid, not a standard urine sample.
The smaller-volume female ejaculate is clearly not urine by any measure. Its biochemical profile, with high PSA, fructose, and glucose alongside very low creatinine, places it firmly in the category of a glandular secretion.
What the Skene’s Glands Actually Do
The Skene’s glands swell with increased blood flow during sexual arousal. They secrete fluid that contributes to lubrication, and in some women, they release a noticeable amount of that milky fluid at orgasm. The glands vary considerably in size from person to person, which likely explains why some women produce visible ejaculate and others don’t.
One hypothesis published in Medical Hypotheses suggests these secretions may serve a reproductive function. The fluid appears to raise the pH inside the vaginal canal from its naturally acidic range (around 2 to 5) toward the neutral range of 7 to 8, where sperm survive best. This mirrors one of the known functions of male prostatic fluid.
How Common Squirting Is
Squirting and female ejaculation are far more common than many people assume. In a U.S. probability sample of women ages 18 to 93, 40% reported having squirted at least once in their lifetime, with a median frequency of three to five times. A Swedish cross-sectional study found 58% of participants had experienced ejaculation or squirting. Other surveys from North America and Egypt have reported similar figures, ranging from 40% to 54%.
These numbers vary partly because people define the experience differently. Some women produce enough fluid to notice it clearly, while others may ejaculate small amounts of the thicker fluid without realizing it. The Swedish study also found that non-heterosexual women reported the experience significantly more often, which researchers attributed to differences in sexual practices and stimulation patterns rather than anatomy.
What It Looks and Feels Like
The squirting fluid is typically clear or slightly yellowish and watery, with little to no odor. It can range from a few milliliters to a much larger gush. The female ejaculate component is white or milky, thicker in consistency, and produced in much smaller quantities, often just a few drops.
When both happen together, which is common, the result is usually a larger volume of mostly clear fluid. The sensation varies widely. Some women describe it as a release of pressure, others as an intensification of orgasm, and some experience it without a distinct orgasm at all. The experience correlates strongly with stimulation of the front vaginal wall, where the Skene’s glands and surrounding erectile tissue sit just beneath the surface.