Squirting large amounts of fluid during sex is a normal physiological response to arousal or orgasm, and the volume varies widely from person to person. Some people produce only a small amount of milky fluid, while others release enough to soak through sheets. Both ends of that spectrum are well within the range of typical sexual function, and neither indicates a medical problem on its own.
Where the Fluid Actually Comes From
There are two distinct types of fluid release during sex, and most people who squirt a lot are experiencing one or both at the same time.
The first is female ejaculation in the narrower sense: a small amount of thick, whitish fluid produced by the Skene’s glands, sometimes called the female prostate. These glands sit along the vaginal wall near the urethra and develop from the same embryonic tissue as the male prostate. During arousal, they swell with increased blood flow and secrete a milky substance containing some of the same proteins found in male semen. This type of ejaculation typically produces only a few milliliters of fluid.
The second is squirting: a release of a much larger volume of clear, watery fluid. Ultrasound studies have confirmed that this fluid comes primarily from the bladder. In a 2014 study led by gynecologist Samuel Salama, ultrasounds on seven women showed their bladders were full just before squirting and empty directly afterward, even though the women had emptied their bladders before the session began. The bladder rapidly refills during high arousal, and the fluid expelled is chemically distinct from regular urine. It’s heavily diluted and contains compounds from the Skene’s glands mixed in. Both phenomena can happen simultaneously.
Why Some People Produce More Than Others
The Skene’s glands vary significantly in size from person to person. Some are barely detectable on imaging, while others are substantially larger. Larger glands can produce more secretion, and they may also stimulate greater bladder involvement during arousal. There’s no way to control or predict gland size, and it has nothing to do with sexual history or habits.
Hydration plays a role as well. Since the larger-volume component of squirting originates in the bladder, being well-hydrated means your body has more fluid available to fill the bladder during arousal. People who drink a lot of water throughout the day may notice they squirt more. This is the same basic principle that governs fluid production in any gland: adequate hydration supports secretion, while dehydration reduces it.
The intensity and type of stimulation matters too. Internal stimulation of the front vaginal wall, where the Skene’s glands and surrounding nerve-rich tissue are located, tends to produce more fluid release than other types of contact. Prolonged arousal before orgasm gives the bladder more time to fill and the glands more time to secrete, which can increase volume. Strong pelvic floor contractions during orgasm then help expel whatever fluid has accumulated.
How Common Squirting Really Is
Despite its reputation as rare or unusual, squirting is far more common than most people assume. A large Swedish cross-sectional study found that 58% of women surveyed had experienced ejaculation or squirting, with an additional 6% unsure whether it had happened. Similar studies in the United States, Canada, and Egypt have reported prevalence rates around 41%. Non-heterosexual women in the Swedish study reported it more frequently, possibly reflecting differences in the types of stimulation involved.
The perception that squirting is uncommon likely stems from the fact that many people don’t discuss it openly, and some may not recognize what’s happening when it occurs. Producing a large amount of fluid is simply one end of a normal distribution.
Squirting vs. Urinary Leakage
One concern people have when they squirt a lot is whether they’re actually experiencing urinary incontinence. The International Continence Society considers these clinically distinct phenomena and notes that telling them apart matters.
Squirting is tied to high arousal or orgasm. It happens at a predictable point in the sexual response, and the fluid is typically clear or slightly milky with little to no urine-like odor. Coital urinary incontinence, by contrast, can happen at any point during sex, often correlates with physical pressure on the bladder (such as during penetration), and may also occur during nonsexual activities like coughing or exercise. If you only release fluid during moments of peak arousal or orgasm and don’t have leakage issues at other times, what you’re experiencing is almost certainly squirting rather than incontinence.
That said, the fluid does pass through the urethra and does originate partly from the bladder, so it’s not surprising that it can feel confusingly similar. The key distinction is context: squirting is a physiological sign of arousal, not a loss of bladder control.
Practical Ways to Manage Volume
If the amount of fluid is more of a logistical issue than a medical concern, a few straightforward adjustments can help. Placing a waterproof mattress protector or a folded towel beneath you reduces cleanup. Some people find that reducing fluid intake in the hour or two before sex modestly decreases volume, though this won’t eliminate squirting entirely since the bladder refills from internal fluid reserves during arousal.
Emptying your bladder right before sex can reduce the starting volume available, which may lead to less fluid overall. However, many people find they still squirt even after doing this, because the bladder refills rapidly during stimulation. Changing positions or the angle of stimulation can sometimes reduce the intensity of Skene’s gland involvement, though this is highly individual and may also change how pleasurable the experience feels.
If you enjoy squirting and your only concern is whether the volume is “normal,” it is. The amount can range from a tablespoon to roughly a glass of water, and none of that range signals a problem. Your body is doing exactly what high arousal prompts it to do.