Squirting is the expulsion of fluid from the urethra during sexual arousal or orgasm. It’s a normal physiological response, not a medical condition, and surveys suggest it’s more common than most people think. A 2024 Swedish study found that 58% of women reported experiencing it at least once. Despite its prevalence, squirting remains poorly understood and rarely discussed, which leaves many people with basic questions about what’s actually happening in the body.
Squirting and Female Ejaculation Are Different Things
One of the biggest sources of confusion is that “squirting” and “female ejaculation” are often used interchangeably, but researchers now treat them as two distinct phenomena that can occur separately or at the same time.
Female ejaculation refers to a small amount of thick, whitish fluid produced by the Skene’s glands, two small structures located on either side of the urethra. These glands are sometimes called the “female prostate” because the fluid they produce contains prostate-specific antigen (PSA), fructose, and glucose, compounds also found in male prostatic fluid. The volume is typically modest, sometimes just a few drops.
Squirting, by contrast, involves a larger volume of watery, clear fluid that originates from the bladder. Ultrasound studies have confirmed this by scanning women’s bladders before arousal, during stimulation just before squirting, and immediately after. The bladder fills noticeably during arousal and empties when squirting occurs. Both types of fluid can be released simultaneously, which is part of why the distinction took so long to establish.
What the Fluid Actually Contains
The composition of squirting fluid sits somewhere between urine and something else entirely. Lab analyses have found high levels of urea and creatinine, two waste products normally concentrated in urine. So yes, the fluid shares chemical markers with urine and comes from the bladder.
But it’s not simply urine. The fluid also contains PSA and prostatic acid phosphatase from the Skene’s glands, which are absent or present at much lower levels in regular urine samples. It also has higher glucose concentrations than urine, though still 10 to 15 times lower than what’s found in male prostatic fluid. Researchers describe it as diluted, chemically altered urine mixed with Skene’s gland secretions. The body appears to produce and modify this fluid rapidly during arousal, which is why the bladder can refill so quickly even after someone has recently used the bathroom.
What Triggers It
Squirting is most commonly associated with stimulation of the anterior vaginal wall, the area often referred to as the G-spot. This region isn’t a distinct anatomical structure with clear borders. It’s part of the broader clitoral network. The visible part of the clitoris is just a small nub, but internally, the clitoris divides into two roots that extend roughly four inches along either side of the vaginal canal. Pressure on the front vaginal wall stimulates this internal tissue, along with the Skene’s glands and surrounding nerve endings.
A curved, rhythmic “come here” motion with fingers, applied to the front wall of the vagina about two inches in, is the technique most commonly described in both clinical and educational settings. Consistent pressure on this area, rather than in-and-out movement, tends to build the sensation that precedes squirting. Some people experience it through penetration with a partner or with toys designed to curve toward the anterior wall. Others experience it from combined clitoral and vaginal stimulation, and some never experience it at all, regardless of technique.
How Common It Is
Estimates vary widely depending on how the question is asked. A 2013 review placed the range at 10 to 54% of women, a spread that reflects differences in study design and definitions. The 2024 Swedish cross-sectional study of 1,250 women found that 58% reported personal experience with ejaculation or squirting, while 6% were unsure whether it had happened. Non-heterosexual women reported it significantly more often, which may reflect differences in the types of stimulation that are typical during sex.
The wide variation in these numbers likely comes down to awareness and framing. Many people who experience fluid release during sex may not identify it as squirting, or may mistake it for urinary leakage and feel embarrassed rather than curious. The stigma around it probably suppresses self-reporting in surveys.
Squirting vs. Urinary Incontinence
Because the fluid comes from the bladder, a natural question is whether squirting is just incontinence during sex. Coital incontinence, the involuntary leakage of urine during sexual activity, is a recognized medical condition, and the two can look similar from the outside. But they differ in important ways.
Coital incontinence is classified by when leakage happens: during penetration, during thrusting, or at orgasm. It’s typically associated with pelvic floor weakness or bladder conditions, and the fluid is chemically identical to regular urine. Squirting, on the other hand, is linked to arousal and orgasm specifically, involves fluid with a different biochemical profile (notably the presence of PSA), and occurs in people with no underlying bladder dysfunction. If you experience fluid release only during high arousal or orgasm and have no leakage issues at other times, it’s far more likely to be squirting than incontinence.
The Anatomy Adapts
One surprising finding involves the Skene’s glands themselves. Research examining 300 women found that most had one to three gland openings on each side of the urethra. But among women who regularly experienced fluid ejaculation with orgasm, the number of openings was four to seven per side. The glands appear to be dynamic structures that adapt over time, increasing the number of external openings to accommodate higher fluid output. This suggests the body physically remodels in response to repeated ejaculatory experiences, similar to how other tissues adapt to regular use.
Why It Doesn’t Happen for Everyone
Anatomy plays a role. Skene’s gland size and development vary significantly from person to person. Some people have well-developed glands with multiple openings, while others have minimal glandular tissue. The sensitivity of the anterior vaginal wall also varies based on how the internal clitoral structures are positioned relative to the vaginal canal. These anatomical differences mean that the same type of stimulation can produce very different responses in different bodies.
Psychological factors matter too. Muscle tension, specifically the ability to relax the pelvic floor during high arousal, appears to play a role. Many people describe the sensation before squirting as similar to needing to urinate, which can trigger an instinct to clench and hold back. Learning to relax through that sensation, rather than tightening against it, is something people who squirt regularly often describe as a key part of the experience. None of this means squirting is something every body can or should do. It’s a normal variation, not a benchmark for sexual response.