Female ejaculate is a small amount of thick, milky white fluid released during orgasm or high arousal. But that’s only one type of fluid involved. What most people picture when they think of a woman “cumming” is actually one of two distinct fluids, and they look quite different from each other.
Female Ejaculate vs. Squirting Fluid
Researchers have identified two separate types of fluid release during female orgasm, and they come from different parts of the body.
True female ejaculate is about 1 milliliter of thick, white, milky fluid. Think of it as roughly a quarter teaspoon. It’s secreted by the Skene’s glands, two small structures located on either side of the urethra. These glands develop from the same cells that become the prostate in males, which is why they’re sometimes called the “female prostate.” The fluid itself contains proteins, sugars, and other compounds similar to what’s found in male semen, just without sperm.
Squirting is something entirely different. It involves a much larger volume of clear, watery fluid, anywhere from tens to hundreds of milliliters, released from the urethra during orgasm or intense arousal. Squirting fluid comes from the bladder and contains the same waste compounds found in urine. It can also contain small amounts of the proteins found in true ejaculate, which means both types of fluid release can happen simultaneously.
What Each Fluid Looks Like
The visual difference is straightforward. Female ejaculate is opaque and white, with a thicker consistency similar to watered-down milk. Because the volume is so small, it may go unnoticed or simply mix with other vaginal moisture during sex. Many women produce it without ever realizing it.
Squirting fluid is clear or very slightly cloudy and thin, more like water. The volume is what makes it noticeable. It can soak through sheets or clothing, and it’s usually released in a gush or stream rather than a slow seep. What you see in pornography is almost always squirting, not ejaculation, because the larger volume is far more visible on camera.
Both fluids exit through the urethra, not the vagina. This is a common point of confusion. Vaginal lubrication, which is yet another fluid entirely, is clear and slippery and comes from the vaginal walls themselves. So during arousal and orgasm, there can be three different fluids present, each with its own look and source.
How Common Is It
Surveys put the numbers in a wide range. One population-based study found that 54% of 233 women reported a spurt of fluid at orgasm. A larger mail survey of over 1,100 women found about 40% identified as ejaculators. The variation likely comes down to differences in how the question is asked and whether women distinguish between the small milky release and the larger gush of squirting.
The Skene’s glands also vary in size from person to person. Some women have larger, more developed glands that produce more noticeable ejaculate, while others have smaller glands that may produce fluid too minimal to detect. This is normal anatomical variation, not a sign that something is working incorrectly.
Why It Gets Confused With Urine
Because squirting fluid comes from the bladder and exits through the urethra, it does contain urea, creatinine, and uric acid, the same compounds filtered by the kidneys. A 2022 study from Okayama University confirmed that squirting fluid consists mainly of urine, often mixed with secretions from the Skene’s glands. Researchers used a blue dye injected into the bladder and found it present in every squirting sample.
This doesn’t mean squirting is simply urinating. The fluid accumulates rapidly in the bladder during arousal, even in women who emptied their bladders immediately before, and its release is tied to the involuntary muscle contractions of orgasm. It also tends to be more dilute than typical urine, which is why it’s usually clear and has little to no odor.
True female ejaculate, the milky white fluid from the Skene’s glands, does not contain urea and is chemically distinct from urine. If you’re seeing a small amount of white fluid, that’s ejaculate. If you’re seeing a larger amount of clear fluid, that’s squirting, and both can happen at the same time.
What’s Normal
The short answer: all of it. Producing a visible amount of ejaculate, producing none at all, squirting large volumes, or never experiencing squirting are all within the normal range. The amount, color, and consistency of vaginal fluids also shift throughout the menstrual cycle, with arousal, and with hydration levels. A slight variation from one encounter to the next doesn’t signal a problem.
Fluid that is yellow, green, gray, or has a strong unpleasant odor is a different matter. Those changes in vaginal discharge can point to an infection and aren’t related to ejaculation or squirting.