Squirting is the release of fluid from the urethra during sexual arousal or orgasm. It’s a normal physiological response that roughly 5% of women report experiencing, and it poses no health concerns. Despite how often it appears in pornography, squirting is relatively uncommon and widely misunderstood, even among researchers. Here’s what science actually knows about it.
What Happens Physically
During high arousal or orgasm, some women release a gush of clear fluid from the urethra. The volume can range from a small amount to several hundred milliliters, enough to noticeably soak through sheets. Women who experience it often describe the sensation as a strong release of pressure, distinct from a typical orgasm but frequently happening alongside one.
The fluid exits through the urethra, not the vagina. This is part of why squirting has been so confusing to study and so surrounded by debate. It looks dramatic, it comes from near the same opening as urine, and for a long time no one could agree on what it actually was.
What the Fluid Is (and Isn’t)
This is where things get more nuanced than most people expect. Researchers now distinguish between two separate phenomena that often get lumped together under the word “squirting.”
Squirting refers to the larger volume release, tens to hundreds of milliliters of clear fluid. Biochemical analysis shows this fluid contains urea, creatinine, and uric acid, the same waste products found in urine. Ultrasound studies have confirmed the fluid comes from the bladder. So yes, squirting fluid is chemically similar to very dilute urine, though it’s produced rapidly during arousal rather than accumulating over hours the way urine normally does.
Female ejaculation is a separate, smaller event: about 1 milliliter of thick, whitish fluid produced by the Skene’s glands, two tiny ducts on either side of the urethra. This fluid has a very different composition. It contains high levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), fructose, and glucose, making it biochemically comparable to components of male semen. The Skene’s glands develop from the same embryonic tissue as the male prostate, which is why they’re sometimes called “the female prostate.”
In practice, both events can happen at the same time, and most women wouldn’t notice the difference. The distinction matters mainly to researchers trying to understand the underlying biology.
Why It Involves the Bladder
The bladder’s role is the part that makes many women feel embarrassed, but it shouldn’t. The fluid that fills the bladder during arousal appears to be produced rapidly and is far more dilute than typical urine. It doesn’t look, smell, or behave the same way as urine you’d pass during a normal bathroom trip. The kidneys seem to produce this dilute fluid quickly during sexual stimulation, and the bladder fills and empties in a way that’s tied to the arousal cycle, not to the body’s normal waste removal process.
This is why some women feel a sensation similar to needing to urinate right before squirting. That pressure is real, it’s the bladder filling, but what follows isn’t the same as urination.
The Role of the Skene’s Glands
The Skene’s glands are about the size of a small blueberry and sit on either side of the urethra. They swell with blood flow during arousal and serve a few purposes: they help lubricate the vaginal opening during sex, they secrete a protective fluid that may help prevent urinary tract infections, and in some women, they produce that small volume of milky ejaculate during orgasm.
The size of the Skene’s glands varies significantly from person to person. Some women have larger, more developed glands, and some have very small ones. This anatomical variation likely explains part of why some women squirt and others don’t. It’s not a skill to learn or a sign of better arousal. It’s largely a matter of individual anatomy.
How Common It Is
The estimated prevalence is about 5%, though survey numbers vary depending on how the question is asked and whether respondents distinguish between squirting and general wetness during sex. Pornography has created an outsized impression of how frequently squirting happens, which can leave both women and their partners with unrealistic expectations.
Not experiencing squirting is completely normal and says nothing about arousal, pleasure, or sexual function. Equally, experiencing it is a normal physiological variation, not a medical concern.
What It Doesn’t Mean
Squirting is not a sign of a stronger orgasm, greater arousal, or better sex. It’s not something that happens to every woman if the “right” technique is used. It’s also not urinary incontinence, though the two can feel similar, and some women who experience incontinence during sex may confuse the two. The key difference is timing: squirting is closely linked to peak arousal or orgasm, while stress incontinence tends to happen with physical pressure or exertion regardless of arousal level.
There are no health risks associated with squirting. It doesn’t indicate a problem with the bladder, kidneys, or pelvic floor. For women who find the volume inconvenient, a towel underneath is the most practical solution. Beyond that, there’s nothing to manage or treat.