Squirting happens when fluid is expelled from the urethra during sexual arousal or orgasm, typically in response to intense stimulation of the front vaginal wall. It’s a real physiological response, though researchers are still refining their understanding of exactly how it works. Surveys suggest anywhere from 10% to 54% of women report experiencing it, with the wide range likely reflecting differences in how the question is asked and what counts as ejaculation.
Squirting and Female Ejaculation Are Different Things
Most people use “squirting” and “female ejaculation” interchangeably, but researchers now treat them as two distinct events that can happen separately or at the same time.
Female ejaculation is the release of roughly 1 milliliter of thick, milky fluid from the Skene’s glands, two small structures located on either side of the urethra. This fluid contains proteins similar to those found in male semen, which is why the Skene’s glands are sometimes called the “female prostate.” The volume is small enough that many women may not notice it at all.
Squirting, by contrast, involves a much larger gush of clear fluid, ranging from tens to hundreds of milliliters. Chemical analysis of this fluid shows it contains urea, creatinine, and uric acid, the same markers found in urine. That confirms squirting fluid is produced by the kidneys and collected in the bladder. However, squirting fluid also often contains small amounts of the proteins associated with female ejaculation, suggesting both processes can overlap during the same experience.
The Anatomy Behind It
The front wall of the vagina, about 2 to 3 inches inside, sits directly against a spongy region of tissue surrounding the urethra. This area is rich in nerve endings and glandular tissue. When stimulated, this tissue becomes engorged with blood and swells, creating the sensation many people associate with the “G-spot.” The Skene’s glands are embedded in this same tissue, running along the length of the urethra. On ultrasound imaging, researchers have identified gland tissue surrounding the entire female urethra, though the size of these glands varies significantly from person to person. Cleveland Clinic describes them as roughly the size of a small blueberry, but that’s an average, and individual variation helps explain why some women ejaculate easily while others never do.
During arousal, the bladder appears to fill rapidly. Ultrasound studies have shown that even in women who emptied their bladder beforehand, the bladder refilled noticeably during stimulation and then emptied again at the moment of squirting. This rapid filling is part of why the fluid resembles dilute urine but isn’t quite the same thing as simply urinating.
What Triggers the Response
Squirting is most commonly associated with firm, rhythmic pressure on the front vaginal wall, using fingers in a “come hither” motion or positions that angle toward that area. The stimulation compresses the urethral sponge and the tissue around the Skene’s glands, which likely contributes to both the glandular secretion and the bladder response.
Arousal level matters more than technique. The tissues involved need significant blood flow to become engorged and sensitive enough to respond. Estrogen plays a direct role here: research from Boston University found that estrogen deprivation significantly reduced blood flow to the vaginal and clitoral tissues during nerve stimulation. Prolonged low estrogen can even cause structural changes in those tissues, reducing their ability to engorge. This is one reason the response may become less common after menopause, though it doesn’t disappear entirely.
Psychological relaxation also plays a role. Because the fluid exits through the urethra, many women instinctively tense against the sensation, mistaking it for a need to urinate. Bearing down rather than clenching, and feeling comfortable enough to let go, is consistently cited in survey research as a factor. In a large international survey published in BJU International, women who experienced ejaculation overwhelmingly described it as a positive part of their sex lives, both for themselves and their partners.
Why Some Women Squirt and Others Don’t
The most likely explanation is anatomical variation. The Skene’s glands vary considerably in size from one person to the next, and some women have very small or even undetectable glands. Since these glands develop from the same embryonic cells that become the prostate in males, the degree of development differs just as prostate size differs among men. Women with more developed glandular tissue around the urethra are probably more likely to produce noticeable fluid.
Pelvic floor strength is another factor. The muscles surrounding the vagina and urethra contract during orgasm, and stronger contractions may help expel fluid more forcefully. Some women report that squirting became easier after doing pelvic floor exercises, though no controlled studies have confirmed this directly.
The type and intensity of stimulation matters too. Clitoral stimulation alone rarely produces squirting. Internal pressure on the front vaginal wall, either manually or through angled penetration, is far more consistently linked to the response. Combining both types of stimulation at the same time increases the likelihood for many women.
What the Fluid Actually Is
This is the question that generates the most debate, and the honest answer is that it’s a mix. The small-volume milky ejaculate from the Skene’s glands is chemically distinct from urine: it’s rich in prostate-specific antigen, fructose, and glucose, closely resembling the composition of male seminal fluid (minus sperm). The larger-volume squirting fluid is primarily produced by the kidneys and stored in the bladder, making its base composition similar to very dilute urine. But because it often contains traces of the Skene’s gland secretions as well, it’s not accurate to call it “just urine” either.
For most women, the practical experience is a gush of warm, mostly clear fluid that doesn’t look or smell like urine. The volume can range from a small trickle to enough to soak through sheets, and the amount can vary from one occasion to the next in the same person.