When women squirt, fluid is released from the urethra during sexual arousal or orgasm. The experience involves rapid bladder filling during stimulation, pelvic muscle contractions, and the expulsion of fluid that is chemically distinct from regular urine. It’s a real physiological event, though the science behind it is more nuanced than most people realize.
Where the Fluid Comes From
Two different sources contribute to what people commonly call “squirting,” and they can occur separately or at the same time.
The first source is the Skene’s glands, two small structures located on either side of the urethral opening. These glands swell with blood flow during arousal and can release a thick, milky fluid that contains proteins similar to those found in male semen, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA). This secretion is what researchers formally call “female ejaculate.” It’s typically about a teaspoon in volume, whitish or clear, and has no noticeable smell.
The second source is the bladder itself. A 2015 ultrasound study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine tracked seven women through the entire process. After each woman emptied her bladder completely (confirmed by ultrasound), researchers observed something unexpected: during sexual stimulation, the bladder rapidly refilled. A second scan taken just before squirting showed noticeable bladder filling, and a third scan taken immediately after showed the bladder had emptied again. The fluid expelled during squirting appears to be a diluted, chemically altered form of urine that accumulates surprisingly fast during arousal.
In many cases, both fluids release together. The smaller, thicker ejaculate from the Skene’s glands mixes with the larger volume of dilute fluid from the bladder. This is why the total amount can vary so much from person to person and even from one experience to the next.
How It Differs From Urinary Leakage
One of the most common concerns around squirting is whether it’s simply incontinence. Bladder leakage during sex (called coital incontinence) does happen, but it’s a separate phenomenon. The fluid released during squirting is chemically different from normal urine. While it passes through the bladder and urethra, biochemical analysis shows it has been diluted and modified. Female ejaculate from the Skene’s glands is an entirely different secretion altogether.
The distinction matters because many women who squirt worry something is wrong. The rapid bladder filling observed in ultrasound studies suggests the body is actively producing this fluid in response to arousal, not passively losing bladder control.
What Triggers It
Squirting is closely tied to orgasm, though it can also happen just before or independently of climax. During orgasm, muscles in the vagina, uterus, and pelvic floor contract rhythmically, roughly once per second for several seconds. These contractions can push fluid out through the urethra.
Stimulation of the front vaginal wall, the area sometimes called the G-spot, is the most commonly reported trigger. This region sits directly against the Skene’s glands and the surrounding erectile tissue, which is why pressure there tends to produce the sensation of fluid building. Internal stimulation combined with clitoral stimulation is frequently described as the combination most likely to lead to squirting, though the specific triggers vary widely between individuals.
How Common It Is
Estimates range widely depending on how the question is asked. In a large mail survey of 1,172 women, about 40% reported experiencing a spurt of fluid at orgasm. A separate population-based study put the number at 54% of 233 participants. Despite these figures, when women in an international survey were asked how common they believed ejaculation to be, the largest group (about 31%) guessed only 10% of women were capable of it.
The gap between actual prevalence and perceived prevalence suggests many women either don’t recognize what’s happening, suppress it out of embarrassment, or experience volumes too small to notice. The Skene’s glands also vary in size from person to person, which likely explains why some women produce noticeable fluid and others don’t.
What It Looks and Feels Like
The physical sensation is often described as a building pressure behind the pubic bone, similar to the feeling of needing to urinate. This makes sense given that the bladder is filling rapidly during arousal. Many women instinctively tense up or stop stimulation at this point because the sensation feels unfamiliar or like they’re about to lose bladder control. Relaxing through that pressure, rather than fighting it, is what typically allows the release to happen.
The fluid itself varies. Survey data shows most participants described it as “usually clear as water,” though some produce a thicker, whitish fluid. Volume ranges from barely noticeable to enough to soak through bedding, depending on the individual and the intensity of stimulation. It generally has little to no odor.
The emotional experience is largely positive. Research published in BJU International found that squirting had a favorable impact on both women’s and their partners’ sexual satisfaction. For many, the release is physically intense and feels like a deeper or more complete orgasm, though the two don’t always occur together.