Not everyone squirts, and that’s completely normal. A large Swedish study found that about 58% of women reported experiencing ejaculation or squirting at some point in their lives, meaning a significant portion never have. Whether you can squirt depends on a mix of anatomy, arousal, mental state, and hormonal factors, most of which are outside your conscious control.
The Anatomy Behind Squirting
The fluid involved in squirting comes primarily from the Skene’s glands, two small structures about the size of a blueberry that sit on either side of the urethra. These glands secrete fluid during sexual arousal that helps with lubrication, and in some people, they produce a thicker, mucus-like substance during orgasm. The fluid contains proteins similar to those found in prostatic fluid, along with elevated levels of glucose and specific enzymes not found in urine.
Here’s the key: Skene’s glands vary significantly in size from person to person. Some people have larger, more developed glands that produce more fluid. Others have smaller glands that produce very little. This isn’t something you can change through practice or technique. It’s simply how your body is built, similar to how some people naturally produce more tears or saliva than others.
Why Mental State Matters More Than Technique
Sexual inhibition is one of the biggest factors affecting orgasm quality and fluid release. Research from the Sexual Medicine Society of North America identifies two types of inhibition that interfere most. The first is fear of performance failure: becoming so focused on trying to make something happen (or pleasing a partner) that you lose connection with your own arousal. The second is fear of consequences, which in the case of squirting often shows up as anxiety about urinating.
That fear of urination is extremely common and worth addressing directly. The sensation building toward squirting can feel almost identical to the urge to pee, because the fluid passes through the urethra. Many people involuntarily clench or pull back at that moment, which stops the release. If you’re mentally bracing against that sensation, your pelvic floor muscles tighten rather than relax, and the fluid has nowhere to go.
Emptying your bladder beforehand can help ease that anxiety. If your bladder is empty and you feel pressure during arousal, that sensation is much more likely related to the Skene’s glands filling than to urination. Knowing that can make it easier to let go instead of tensing up.
Stimulation and the Front Vaginal Wall
Most research on squirting points to stimulation of the front vaginal wall, the area sometimes called the G-spot, as the type most likely to trigger fluid release. Scientists still debate whether the G-spot is a distinct structure or part of a larger network. Imaging studies suggest that during penetration, the front vaginal wall shifts downward and presses against the internal portions of the clitoris, creating a zone of overlapping sensitivity that researchers call the clitourethrovaginal complex.
In studies where researchers attempted to induce ejaculation, digital stimulation with one or two fingers along the front vaginal wall was the most common method. A “come hither” curling motion toward the belly button, with firm and rhythmic pressure, is the approach most frequently described. In some cases, a vibrator was used when ejaculation was difficult to trigger through fingers alone. The area often feels slightly ridged or swollen compared to the smoother tissue deeper in the vaginal canal, and that swelling can increase with arousal.
But technique alone isn’t enough. As one systematic review put it, reducing female orgasm to stimulation of a single spot “will always fall short.” Arousal, intimacy, comfort, hormonal state, and previous experiences all play a role. The brain is the key player in orgasm, not any single anatomical structure.
Hormones and Age
Hormonal changes can affect your body’s ability to produce fluid. Estrogen supports blood flow to the genitals, tissue elasticity, and glandular secretion. As estrogen levels drop during perimenopause and menopause, many people notice vaginal dryness, reduced lubrication during arousal, and changes in orgasm intensity. If you used to squirt and no longer can, declining estrogen may be a factor. The same applies during breastfeeding or while taking certain hormonal contraceptives that lower estrogen levels.
Conversely, people in their reproductive years with higher estrogen levels generally have more robust fluid production from the Skene’s glands. This doesn’t guarantee squirting, but it creates more favorable conditions for it.
What You Can and Can’t Control
Some factors are within your influence. You can experiment with front wall stimulation, use a vibrator designed for that area, empty your bladder beforehand to reduce anxiety, and work on staying mentally present rather than goal-focused during sex. Building comfort with your partner and reducing performance pressure also help, since relaxation of the pelvic floor is essential for fluid release.
Other factors are simply biological. Skene’s gland size, nerve density, hormonal levels, and pelvic anatomy all vary from person to person. The 42% of women in that Swedish study who hadn’t experienced squirting aren’t doing anything wrong. Their bodies just respond differently to stimulation.
It’s also worth noting that the volume of fluid varies enormously. Some people produce a small amount that’s barely noticeable. Others produce enough to soak through sheets. Both count. If you’ve had moments of extra wetness during orgasm that seemed different from regular lubrication, you may have already experienced a mild form of ejaculation without recognizing it. About 6% of women in one study weren’t sure whether they’d experienced it or not, suggesting the line between “very wet” and “squirting” isn’t always obvious.
The Pressure to Perform
Pornography has made squirting look like a dramatic, high-volume event that happens reliably with the right technique. That creates unrealistic expectations. In reality, the experience varies widely, doesn’t happen every time even for people who can do it, and isn’t a measure of sexual satisfaction or arousal. Many people who squirt report that it doesn’t necessarily feel better than other types of orgasm. It’s just different.
Ironically, the more pressure you put on yourself to squirt, the less likely it becomes. Goal-oriented thinking during sex pulls your attention away from sensation and toward evaluation, which is exactly the kind of inhibition that interferes with orgasm and fluid release. Focusing on what feels good rather than on producing a specific outcome is, paradoxically, the approach most likely to get you there.