Squirting is caused by stimulation of sensitive tissue along the front vaginal wall, which triggers an involuntary release of fluid from the urethra. The fluid comes primarily from the bladder, with additional secretions from small glands near the urethra. Somewhere between 10% and 54% of women report experiencing it, depending on the survey, and it can happen with or without orgasm.
The Anatomy Behind It
Two structures play a role in squirting: the bladder and a pair of tiny glands called the Skene’s glands. The Skene’s glands sit on either side of the urethra, along the front wall of the vagina, and drain into the urethral opening through small ducts. They’re sometimes called the “female prostate” because, like the male prostate, they produce prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostatic acid phosphatase. These glands contribute a small amount of milky, whitish fluid during arousal.
The bladder, however, is responsible for the larger volume of fluid that people typically mean when they say “squirting.” Ultrasound studies have confirmed this directly. In one well-known study, researchers scanned seven women at three points: after they emptied their bladders, during sexual stimulation just before squirting, and immediately after. The bladder refilled rapidly during arousal and was empty again after the fluid was expelled. The fluid came from the bladder.
Squirting and Ejaculation Are Different Things
Researchers now treat squirting and female ejaculation as two distinct events, even though they often happen at the same time and get lumped together in conversation.
- Female ejaculation is a small release of thick, milky fluid from the Skene’s glands. It’s typically a few milliliters at most and may not even be noticeable.
- Squirting is a larger, more forceful expulsion of fluid from the urethra. This fluid originates in the bladder and is higher in volume.
Biochemically, squirting fluid looks a lot like diluted urine. Studies comparing the fluid to pre-orgasmic urine found comparable levels of urea, creatinine, and uric acid. But it’s not just urine. In many samples, the fluid also contains PSA and elevated glucose, both markers of Skene’s gland secretions. So the most accurate picture is that squirting fluid is a mix: mostly bladder fluid, with contributions from the Skene’s glands blended in.
What Triggers the Reflex
The most commonly reported trigger is pressure on the front vaginal wall, the area sometimes called the G-spot. This tissue sits right against the urethra and the Skene’s glands, which is why stimulating it can activate both the glands and the urethral area. Clitoral stimulation can also trigger squirting, and some women experience it from a combination of both. It doesn’t require orgasm, though the two often coincide.
The neurological pathway involves the pudendal nerve, which runs through the pelvic floor and controls the muscles around the urethra, vagina, and pelvic floor. During intense arousal, stimulation of sensory nerve fibers triggers what researchers call the urethrogenital reflex, a rapid, rhythmic firing of the pudendal motor nerve. This produces involuntary contractions of the pelvic floor muscles, including the muscle that wraps around the base of the urethra (the bulbospongiosus). These contractions can force fluid out through the urethra. The key point is that this is a reflex, not a voluntary action. You can’t simply decide to make it happen, and you can’t always prevent it either.
Why Some Women Experience It and Others Don’t
Survey results vary wildly. One population-based study found 54% of 233 women reported a spurt of fluid at orgasm. A larger mail survey of 1,172 women put the number at about 40%. Another study found only 4.7% of 300 women ejaculated. These differences likely reflect inconsistent definitions (squirting vs. ejaculation vs. any fluid release), varying comfort levels in reporting, and the simple fact that many women may experience small amounts of fluid without noticing.
Anatomical variation plays a role. The Skene’s glands vary considerably in size from person to person, and some women have very small or barely detectable glands. Differences in pelvic floor muscle tone, nerve sensitivity, and the degree of arousal all affect whether the reflex gets triggered. There’s no evidence that squirting is a sign of “better” orgasms or more intense pleasure. It’s a physiological response that some bodies produce more readily than others.
What the Fluid Actually Contains
When researchers have compared female ejaculate to pre-coital urine from the same women, the ejaculate had lower levels of creatinine (a waste product filtered by the kidneys) and elevated levels of PSA, prostatic acid phosphatase, and glucose. This chemical profile is distinct from plain urine and shares some components with male seminal fluid, minus the sperm.
One hypothesis is that these secretions may serve a reproductive function. The vaginal environment is acidic, with a pH between 2 and 5, which is hostile to sperm. Ejaculatory fluid could help raise pH closer to 7, a level where sperm survive better. Some researchers have also proposed that PSA in the fluid may enhance sperm motility, potentially improving the chances of conception. Another theory suggests the fluid has antimicrobial properties, helping protect the urethral opening from infection after sexual activity. These ideas remain under investigation, but they offer plausible explanations for why the mechanism exists at all.
Practical Details
Because squirting involves a reflex arc rather than a conscious decision, trying to force it usually backfires. Relaxation matters more than effort. Many women who experience squirting describe a sensation of pressure or fullness right before it happens, similar to the feeling of needing to urinate. The instinct is often to clench against that sensation, which can prevent the reflex from completing. Letting go of that tension is, for many people, the difference between experiencing it and not.
Consistent pressure on the front vaginal wall (using fingers in a “come hither” motion, a curved toy, or an angle during penetration that hits the front wall) is the most reliable physical approach. Combining internal stimulation with external clitoral stimulation increases the likelihood for some women. The volume of fluid varies enormously, from a small amount that’s barely noticeable to a much larger gush. Both are normal, and the amount doesn’t correlate with the intensity of the experience.