Squirting fluid comes primarily from the bladder, but the full picture is more nuanced than that single answer suggests. Scientists now distinguish between two separate phenomena that often get lumped together: squirting (a larger gush of clear fluid) and female ejaculation (a small amount of thick, whitish fluid from glands near the urethra). They involve different organs, different fluids, and different mechanisms.
Squirting and Ejaculation Are Two Different Things
This distinction is the single most important thing to understand. Squirting refers to the expulsion of roughly 10 milliliters or more of thin, clear fluid through the urethra during sexual arousal or orgasm. Female ejaculation, by contrast, is the release of just a few milliliters of thicker, milky fluid from the paraurethral glands, also known as Skene’s glands. These are small structures located on either side of the urethra, sometimes called the “female prostate” because they produce some of the same proteins found in male prostate fluid.
In practice, both can happen at the same time, which is partly why they’ve been confused for so long. But the organs producing each fluid, and the composition of each fluid, are genuinely different.
Where the Larger Volume of Fluid Originates
The high-volume fluid people typically mean when they say “squirting” comes from the urinary bladder. This has been confirmed through imaging and direct testing. In one study, researchers inserted a catheter to empty participants’ bladders completely, then injected a blue dye solution into the bladder before sexual stimulation. The fluid expelled during squirting was blue in every case, confirming the bladder as the source.
Ultrasound studies have also shown that the bladder rapidly refills during arousal, even after being emptied, and then empties again at the moment of squirting. This means the kidneys are actively producing fluid during the arousal period, filling the bladder in a relatively short window of time.
Is It Just Urine?
Biochemically, squirting fluid resembles very dilute urine. It contains urea, creatinine, and uric acid, all markers found in urine, but at significantly lower concentrations than typical urine. One detailed case study measured the density and chemical markers of squirting fluid and found values consistent with heavily diluted urine rather than full-strength urine. The fluid is typically clear, watery, and largely odorless, which matches what you’d expect from a very dilute bladder fluid rather than concentrated urine.
So “it’s urine” is an oversimplification. It originates in the bladder and shares some chemical markers with urine, but it’s not the same as the urine your body produces throughout the day. It’s rapidly produced, heavily diluted, and in many cases also contains small amounts of prostatic proteins from the Skene’s glands that mix in as the fluid passes through the urethra.
The Role of the Skene’s Glands
The Skene’s glands (paraurethral glands) are responsible for the smaller-volume female ejaculate, not the larger squirting gush. These glands produce a fluid rich in prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, the same protein produced by the male prostate. One study measured PSA in female ejaculate at roughly 3,990 nanograms per milliliter, a concentration comparable to components of male semen.
This ejaculate is thick, whitish, and produced in very small quantities. It may have antibacterial properties that help protect the urethra. The Skene’s glands vary considerably in size from person to person, which likely explains why some people produce noticeable ejaculate and others don’t. In some individuals, these glands are barely detectable on imaging, while in others they’re well-developed.
What Triggers It Physically
Squirting typically occurs during intense arousal or at the point of orgasm, though it can happen without orgasm as well. The nerve pathways involved are the same ones that carry genital sensation to the brain through the spinal cord. During orgasm, the brain shows widespread activation, and the sympathetic nervous system (your body’s “fight or flight” system) fires intensely. In men, this same surge triggers the ejaculatory reflex. In women, a similar reflex appears to drive both the contraction of the Skene’s glands and the expulsion of fluid from the bladder.
Stimulation of the front vaginal wall, the area often called the G-spot, is frequently associated with squirting. This region sits directly over the Skene’s glands and the urethra, which is likely why pressure there seems to be particularly effective at triggering fluid release. That said, squirting can also occur from clitoral stimulation alone or from a combination of stimulation types.
How Common It Is
A U.S. probability sample of women ages 18 to 93 found that 40% had experienced squirting at least once in their lifetime. Among those who had, the median frequency was three to five times total. So while it’s a common experience, for most people it’s not something that happens every time they have sex.
Surveys also reveal complicated feelings about the experience. In one study, 58% of women who had squirted said they had wanted to avoid it at some point, mainly because it created too much wetness or because they felt insecure about whether the fluid was urine. Those who sensed the fluid coming from the urethra, or whose partner reacted negatively, were significantly more likely to have these concerns. Despite this, the overall experience was rated positively by most participants.
The Bottom Line on Composition
When people ask “where does squirting liquid come from,” the answer depends on which fluid you’re talking about. The large-volume, watery gush that most people picture when they hear “squirting” comes from the bladder. It’s chemically similar to very dilute urine. The smaller, thicker ejaculate comes from the Skene’s glands and contains prostatic enzymes similar to those in male semen. Both fluids exit through the urethra, and both can be released during the same sexual experience, which is why they’ve historically been treated as one thing when they’re actually two.