The fluid released from the vagina or vulva during orgasm is most commonly called female ejaculate or, colloquially, squirt. These terms are often used interchangeably in everyday language, but they actually refer to different fluids that come from different places in the body. Understanding the distinction helps clear up a lot of the confusion around this topic.
Female Ejaculation vs. Squirting
Female ejaculation and squirting are the two main terms you’ll encounter, and they describe two distinct things. Female ejaculation refers to a small amount of thick, milky-white fluid released during orgasm. This fluid comes from the Skene’s glands, two small structures located on either side of the urethral opening. It doesn’t gush out. It’s closer to a slow release, and many people don’t even notice it happening.
Squirting, on the other hand, involves a larger volume of clear, watery fluid expelled more forcefully from the urethra. Research shows this fluid is primarily dilute urine mixed with secretions from the Skene’s glands. Despite its composition, squirting is a normal physiological response to sexual stimulation, not a sign of lost bladder control.
There’s also a third category: coital incontinence, which is involuntary urine loss during sex unrelated to orgasm. In casual conversation, all three tend to get lumped together under “squirting,” which is part of why the topic feels so confusing.
Where Female Ejaculate Comes From
The Skene’s glands are sometimes called the female prostate, and for good reason. They develop from the same embryonic tissue that becomes the prostate gland in males, and the fluid they produce contains similar proteins to those found in semen. These glands sit just inside the vaginal opening near the urethra and swell with blood flow during arousal.
Beyond their role in ejaculation, the Skene’s glands serve a protective function. They secrete a substance that lubricates the urethral opening during urination and helps prevent bacteria from entering the urinary tract. Research from Cleveland Clinic notes that not all women have Skene’s glands of the same size or activity level. One study found that these glands are “dynamic structures” that can actually develop more openings in women who ejaculate regularly, essentially adapting to accommodate more fluid.
How Ejaculate Differs From Arousal Fluid
The wetness you feel during sexual arousal is a separate fluid entirely. That lubrication comes from the Bartholin’s glands, located near the vaginal opening, and its job is to reduce friction during penetration. It’s produced in response to arousal regardless of whether orgasm happens.
Ejaculate, by contrast, typically appears during or just before orgasm. It has a different consistency (thicker, mucus-like) and comes from a different location (the Skene’s glands rather than the Bartholin’s glands). Squirting fluid is different from both: thinner, more watery, and expelled from the urethra rather than the vaginal canal.
How Common It Is
Estimates vary widely depending on how the question is asked. In a population-based survey of 233 women, 54% reported experiencing a spurt of fluid at orgasm. A larger mail survey of over 1,100 women found that about 40% identified as ejaculators. But in a clinical study by Masters and colleagues, only 4.7% of 300 women ejaculated during observed sessions. The overall picture from research is that fewer than half of women experience noticeable ejaculation, and those who do may not experience it every time.
Whether or not you ejaculate has no bearing on sexual health or the quality of an orgasm. The variation comes down to differences in Skene’s gland size, anatomy, and individual arousal patterns. Some people never notice it, some experience it occasionally, and some experience it regularly.
Quick Terminology Reference
- Female ejaculate: Small amount of milky-white fluid from the Skene’s glands, released at or near orgasm
- Squirting: Larger volume of clear fluid expelled from the urethra during orgasm, mostly dilute urine mixed with glandular secretions
- Arousal fluid: Vaginal lubrication from the Bartholin’s glands during sexual excitement, unrelated to orgasm
- Coital incontinence: Involuntary urine loss during sex, not necessarily tied to orgasm or arousal
All of these are normal bodily functions. The confusion mostly stems from the fact that casual language treats them as one thing when they’re actually several distinct processes happening in different parts of the body at different times.