Squirting is the release of a large volume of clear, watery fluid from the urethra during sexual arousal or orgasm. It’s distinct from female ejaculation, which is a much smaller amount of thick, milky fluid from a different source. The two are often confused or lumped together, but they involve different glands, different fluids, and different volumes.
Squirting vs. Female Ejaculation
These terms get used interchangeably, but they describe two separate events that can happen independently or at the same time.
Female ejaculation is the release of about 1 milliliter of thick, white, milky fluid from the Skene’s glands, small structures on either side of the urethra. These glands develop from the same embryonic tissue as the male prostate, which is why they’re sometimes called the “female prostate.” The fluid they produce contains proteins similar to those found in male semen, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA), fructose, and glucose.
Squirting is something different entirely. It involves tens to hundreds of milliliters of clear fluid released from the urethra, typically during orgasm or intense arousal. That’s a much larger volume, and the fluid comes from a different place: the bladder.
Where the Fluid Comes From
A 2015 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine used pelvic ultrasound to track what happens inside the body during squirting. Seven women who reported regular squirting emptied their bladders, then had an ultrasound confirming their bladders were empty. During sexual stimulation, a second ultrasound showed noticeable bladder filling. After squirting, a third scan showed the bladder had emptied again.
Biochemical analysis of the fluid supports this. Squirting fluid contains urea, creatinine, and uric acid, all waste products filtered by the kidneys and stored in the bladder. Chemically, it resembles very diluted urine, though in some women the fluid also contains small amounts of prostatic secretions from the Skene’s glands. So in many cases, both processes may be happening simultaneously: the bladder empties while the Skene’s glands release their own secretion into the mix.
What It Feels Like
Women who experience squirting commonly describe an initial sensation of needing to urinate, especially during stimulation of the anterior vaginal wall (the area often called the G-spot). That urge-to-pee feeling makes sense given the bladder’s involvement. With continued stimulation, the sensation typically shifts from pressure to pleasure. In one early case study, researchers observed that the tissue around the urethral opening became visibly engorged and changed color from pink to deep burgundy in the seconds before orgasm and fluid release.
The expulsion itself can happen in quick bursts, sometimes several in succession about a minute apart. Some women describe it as a release of tension, while others barely notice the fluid at all because they’re focused on the orgasm itself.
How Common It Is
Estimates vary widely depending on how the question is asked and who’s being surveyed. In one population-based study, 54% of 233 women reported a spurt of fluid at orgasm. A large mail survey of 1,172 women found that about 40% identified as having experienced ejaculation. On the low end, one study of 300 women put the number at just under 5%. The huge range reflects differences in definitions, awareness, and comfort reporting. Many women may experience small amounts of fluid and not recognize it, while others may suppress it because the sensation mimics the urge to urinate.
Anatomy also plays a role. The size and development of the Skene’s glands vary significantly from person to person. Some women have prominent glands, while in others they’re barely detectable. This natural variation likely influences whether someone produces noticeable fluid during arousal.
The “Is It Urine?” Question
This is the question most people actually want answered, and the honest answer is: it’s complicated. The bladder is clearly involved. Imaging studies confirm the bladder fills rapidly during arousal and empties during squirting. The chemical markers in the fluid are the same ones found in urine. But the fluid is typically more dilute than normal urine, and in many samples it also contains prostatic secretions that urine does not.
Calling it “just urine” oversimplifies what’s happening. The bladder appears to fill unusually quickly during arousal, suggesting the kidneys may be producing fluid at an accelerated rate, and the resulting liquid mixes with glandular secretions on its way out. It’s a distinct physiological event tied to sexual response, even if the plumbing overlaps with urination. The two experiences feel different, happen under different circumstances, and involve different triggers in the nervous system.