Female ejaculate is typically a small amount of milky white fluid released at orgasm. But the full picture is more nuanced than that, because there are actually several different fluids involved in female sexual arousal and orgasm, each with a distinct appearance. Understanding which is which can clear up a lot of confusion.
Two Different Fluids, Two Different Looks
Research has identified two distinct phenomena that often get lumped together under one label. True female ejaculate is a small quantity of milky white liquid produced during orgasm. It comes from the Skene’s glands, two blueberry-sized glands located on either side of the urethra. These glands swell during arousal and release fluid that contains some of the same proteins found in male semen. The amount is small, sometimes just a few drops, and you might not even notice it during sex.
Squirting is something different. It involves a much larger volume of fluid, sometimes enough to soak through sheets. This fluid is clear and watery, closer in appearance to diluted urine. Chemically, that comparison is accurate: a 2015 study found squirting fluid is largely composed of liquid from the bladder, diluted with small amounts of secretions from the Skene’s glands. Both responses are normal, and some people experience one, the other, both at the same time, or neither.
How It Differs From Arousal Fluid
There’s a third fluid that often enters the picture: the wetness that happens when you’re turned on. This arousal fluid comes from the Bartholin’s glands near the vaginal opening, not the urethra. It tends to be clear and slippery, with a consistency designed to reduce friction during sex. It can appear well before orgasm and has nothing to do with ejaculation.
The fluid from the Skene’s glands is distinct. Planned Parenthood describes it as clear or whitish with a mucus-like consistency, released during or just before orgasm. So if you notice a thicker, slightly opaque fluid at climax that looks different from the slippery wetness you had earlier, that’s likely ejaculate from the Skene’s glands rather than continued lubrication.
Color, Smell, and Taste
Healthy female ejaculate is white to slightly translucent and largely odorless or mildly musky. It shouldn’t have a strong or unpleasant smell. The broader genital area can carry flavors and scents that range from slightly sweet to metallic or salty, influenced by sweat, diet, and the natural bacterial environment of the vulva. Asparagus, for example, can give secretions a grassy quality, while tobacco use is associated with more acidic or bitter notes.
A sudden change in color toward yellow or gray, or a strong fishy odor, isn’t related to ejaculation. Those are signs of an infection like bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniasis and worth getting checked out.
How Common Is It?
Surveys put the numbers all over the map, which tells you something about how tricky this is to study. One population-based survey found 54% of women reported a spurt of fluid at orgasm. A large mail survey landed at about 40%. Other researchers have put the figure as low as 5%. The wide range likely reflects differences in how the question was asked and whether women distinguished between arousal wetness, ejaculation, and squirting.
The Skene’s glands themselves vary in size from person to person, which may explain why some women produce noticeable ejaculate and others don’t. Neither experience is abnormal. Some women ejaculate regularly, some only occasionally, and some never do.
Quick Visual Summary
- Arousal fluid: Clear, slippery, appears during arousal before orgasm. Comes from the vaginal opening area.
- Female ejaculate: Milky white or slightly translucent, thicker consistency, small amount released at orgasm. Comes from the urethra via the Skene’s glands.
- Squirting fluid: Clear and watery, potentially large volume, released at or near orgasm. Comes from the urethra and is mostly diluted bladder fluid mixed with Skene’s gland secretions.
All three are normal parts of female sexual response. The differences in appearance come down to where the fluid originates and what it’s made of, not whether something is right or wrong with your body.