Women can experience two distinct types of fluid release during sexual arousal and orgasm, both commonly called “nutting.” About 40% of adult women in the U.S. report experiencing this at least once in their lifetime, and surveys consistently place the number between one-third and one-half of all women. What’s happening physically involves specific anatomy that’s surprisingly similar to what happens in male ejaculation.
Two Different Types of Fluid Release
What most people lump together as one thing is actually two separate phenomena: female ejaculation and squirting. They can happen at the same time, which adds to the confusion, but they come from different sources and look nothing alike.
Female ejaculation is a small release of thick, milky fluid, typically just a few milliliters. It comes from the paraurethral glands, sometimes called Skene’s glands, which sit on either side of the urethra. These glands are the female equivalent of the prostate. In fact, about 83% of tissue samples from these glands test positive for the same protein marker found in the male prostate. The fluid they produce is chemically distinct from urine: it contains elevated levels of proteins also found in male seminal fluid (minus sperm) and has lower levels of the waste products you’d find in urine.
Squirting is the more dramatic version. It involves a larger volume of clear, watery fluid, often 10 milliliters or more, released through the urethra. Ultrasound imaging studies have confirmed that the bladder fills rapidly during sexual arousal and empties again at the moment of squirting. The fluid is chemically similar to very dilute urine, though it often contains a small contribution from those same prostate-like glands. Researchers describe it as an involuntary emission from the bladder triggered by intense sexual stimulation.
The Anatomy Behind It
The key player is a network of tissue sometimes called the clitorourethrovaginal complex. Rather than a single “button” that triggers ejaculation, this is an interconnected zone where the internal structures of the clitoris, the urethra, and the front vaginal wall all overlap. The clitoris extends much further into the body than its visible external portion, with internal roots that run along the vaginal wall. When this whole area is stimulated, it can activate the paraurethral glands and create the pressure changes in the bladder associated with squirting.
The region people commonly call the G-spot sits on the upper (front) wall of the vagina, roughly one centimeter inside. It’s not a distinct anatomical structure with clear borders. It’s the area where you can most easily stimulate that deeper network of nerve-rich tissue from inside the vagina. Individual anatomy varies significantly, which is why some women ejaculate easily, some never do, and some discover it unexpectedly after years of sexual activity.
What Triggers It
Most women who experience ejaculation or squirting report that it involves stimulation of the front vaginal wall, either through penetration, fingers, or a toy. The sensation is often described as a building pressure that feels different from a clitoral orgasm. Some women describe an initial urge similar to needing to urinate, which makes sense given the bladder’s involvement in squirting.
Specific approaches that tend to work:
- Curved pressure on the front wall. Fingers or a curved toy angled toward the belly button, applying firm rhythmic pressure rather than in-and-out motion.
- Varied intensity. Alternating between soft stroking and firmer pressure helps some women identify what type of stimulation their body responds to.
- Positional adjustments. Sexual positions that angle penetration toward the front vaginal wall provide better contact with the relevant anatomy.
- Combined stimulation. Stimulating the clitoris externally while also applying internal pressure can activate more of the nerve network at once.
Relaxation matters more than technique. Because the sensation can mimic the urge to urinate, many women instinctively tense up and hold back. Letting go of that tension, both physically and mentally, is what many women describe as the difference between getting close and actually getting there.
Why It Doesn’t Happen for Everyone
The paraurethral glands vary in size from person to person. Some women have well-developed glands, others have very small ones, and a small percentage may functionally lack them altogether. This anatomical variation likely explains much of the difference in who ejaculates and who doesn’t. Hormone levels also influence gland activity, which is why some women notice changes in their ability to ejaculate at different life stages or different points in their menstrual cycle.
The range in survey data reflects this variability. Studies have found anywhere from 10% to 54% of women reporting some form of fluid emission during sex. A large U.S. probability sample found 40% of women had squirted at least once. Whether someone experiences it has nothing to do with arousal level, sexual skill, or the quality of a relationship. It’s largely a matter of individual anatomy and the type of stimulation involved.
What the Fluid Actually Is
This is the question most people really want answered, and the honest answer is: it depends on which type you’re talking about. The small amount of thick fluid from female ejaculation is a genuine glandular secretion. Chemical analysis shows it contains glucose and prostate-specific proteins at concentrations that clearly distinguish it from urine. It’s produced by glands that are doing exactly what the male prostate does, just in smaller quantities.
Squirting fluid, the larger volume of clear liquid, is mostly water and dilute urinary components that accumulated in the bladder during arousal. It’s not the same as simply urinating. The bladder fills unusually fast during sexual excitement through a mechanism that isn’t fully understood, and the fluid is typically more diluted than normal urine. Most samples also contain trace amounts of the prostatic secretions mixed in, suggesting both systems activate simultaneously.
For practical purposes, the fluid is generally odorless or very faintly scented, and it’s harmless. Many women who experience it find it easier to simply put down a towel beforehand rather than worrying about what’s happening chemically.