What Is Squirting: A Scientific Overview of Female Ejaculation Physiology

The word "squirting" travels from porn to TikTok, from women's group chats to sexologists' offices. Some consider it the pinnacle of orgasmic experience, others a staged trick or plain incontinence. Science has been arguing about it for over forty years, and this argument is more fascinating than any myth: it concerns anatomy that went unrecognized for a long time, a fluid whose composition is still being clarified, and female pleasure that men have described for centuries.

Let's sort it out calmly and by the sources: what squirting is, where the fluid comes from, what lab research knows about it, and why it happens for some and not others.

What is squirting: short and to the point

Squirting (from to squirt) is the expulsion of fluid from the urethra during sexual arousal or orgasm. In scientific literature, the phenomenon is more often called female ejaculation, although contemporary researchers distinguish two different phenomena:

Female ejaculation proper — a small amount (a few milliliters) of milky-white fluid, similar in composition to male prostatic fluid.
Squirting — a copious expulsion of clear fluid, a significant portion of which originates from the bladder.

This distinction isn't colloquial but laboratory-based: it relies on direct measurements of the composition of the expelled fluid and on ultrasound monitoring of the bladder during sexual stimulation[2][3].

A little history: from Skene to Whipple

The first anatomical description of the structures now associated with female ejaculation was made by Scottish gynecologist Alexander Skene in 1880. He described the paraurethral glands — small ducts on either side of the urethral opening, later named after him: Skene's glands[5].

For a long time, they were rarely mentioned. The breakthrough came in 1981, when a research group led by nurse and scientist Beverly Whipple published a clinical case titled "Female Ejaculation: A Case Study." The paper described a woman who released fluid during certain types of stimulation — and the authors showed that this was not urine but a physiological response distinct from incontinence[1].

It was Whipple — professor emerita at Rutgers University and co-author of the bestseller "The G Spot and Other Recent Discoveries About Human Sexuality" — who made the topic discussable in academia. She also brought the concept of the G-spot into wide circulation and linked its stimulation to the ejaculation phenomenon[4].

Since then, the field has developed in waves: the initial enthusiasm of the 1980s was followed by the skepticism of the 1990s, and the 2000s brought new tools — ultrasound, biochemical analysis, MRI — that allowed researchers to answer the main question: what exactly is being released and from where.

Where the fluid comes from: anatomy without myths

Here's what the current model looks like.

Skene's glands — the "female prostate"

Skene's glands are located around the distal part of the urethra and are embryologically related to the male prostate. They do indeed secrete a small amount of fluid rich in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and fructose — substances that in the male body are part of semen[3][5].

This fluid is the "real" female ejaculate: somewhat thick, whitish, ranging in volume from a few drops to a couple of milliliters.

The bladder and the squirt

With the copious, "gushing" kind of squirting, things are more complicated. The key study was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in 2014 by a group led by French urologist Samuel Salama. The design was rigorous: participants emptied their bladders, then underwent an ultrasound (bladder empty), were stimulated to the point of squirting, after which the bladder was imaged again.

The result: immediately before the squirt, the bladder filled rapidly, and right after the expulsion, it was empty. Chemical analysis of the expelled fluid revealed urinary markers (urea, creatinine, uric acid), while in some women PSA was also detected — meaning that secretion from Skene's glands was mixed with fluid from the bladder[2].

Put simply: the squirt is a hybrid. The bulk of the volume comes from the bladder, but this isn't "just urine": the fluid is usually lighter, less concentrated, and contains components that aren't found in ordinary urine.

What the systematic reviews say

A 2020 review, cited by Medical News Today, concludes that the accumulated evidence is sufficient to recognize female ejaculation as a real physiological phenomenon, although discussion about the exact mechanisms and reproductive function continues[3]. Some researchers suggest PSA and fructose may play a role in fertility, but there's no convincing evidence yet[3].

Does it happen to everyone?

No. According to data cited by IFLScience referencing review papers, the ability to squirt is reported in approximately 10–54% of women — the range is enormous because study methodologies and definitions vary[2].

What this means in practice:

The absence of squirting says nothing — neither about the quality of orgasm nor about the "correctness" of the body.
The presence of squirting also isn't a marker of a "stronger" orgasm: for some women, fluid expulsion happens without orgasm at all, and for others — only alongside it.
The individual anatomy of Skene's glands varies significantly: in some people they're noticeably developed, in others almost absent.

Squirting and orgasm: not the same thing

One of the main confusions: squirting is often equated with orgasm. Meanwhile, these are two different processes that may coincide but don't have to.

Orgasm is a neuromuscular pattern with rhythmic contractions of the pelvic floor and a characteristic shift in the autonomic nervous system. Squirting is a mechanical expulsion of fluid through the urethra, associated with relaxation of the sphincter and filling of the bladder against a background of intense stimulation (most often of the anterior vaginal wall, the very zone above the pubic bone popularly called the G-spot)[4][5].

Why this matters (and why there's no shame in it)

For many years, women who experienced squirting encountered two opposite reactions:

"You wet yourself" — shame, attempts to "hold it in," avoidance of the stimulation that leads to release.
"A real squirt should look like it does in porn" — pressure, attempts to "force" fluid out at any cost, disappointment.

Both reactions ignore the physiology. The work of Whipple and her colleagues in 1981 was precisely a response to the first: they showed that the fluid differs from urine and that the reaction is a normal part of the sexual response in some women[1]. And Salama's 2014 study addresses the second complaint: even if there's a urinary component in the fluid, this isn't a "failure of the body" but simply how this particular physiological mechanism works[2].

Can you "learn" it?

There's no definitive answer. The ability to squirt is partly determined by anatomy and, likely, by the habit of relaxing the pelvic floor muscles and urethral sphincter at the peak of arousal. For some it happens spontaneously, for some after long practice, for some it never happens.

What you can do if the topic interests you:

Remove the pressure of results. The goal is exploring sensations, not expelling fluid over a certain distance.
Work with the pelvic floor muscles. The ability to consciously both relax and contract these muscles is a foundation for many aspects of sexual health, not just squirting.
Learn your anatomy. Stimulation of the anterior vaginal wall (the G zone) combined with clitoral stimulation is most often mentioned in studies related to ejaculation[5].
Agree with your partner in advance — about a towel, about the fact that what's happening is normal, and that "it worked/didn't work" isn't an evaluation.

If you want a systematic approach with step-by-step techniques and exercises, we have a dedicated practical course — "Squirt Technique". It doesn't promise "squirt on the first try" (no one honestly promises that), but it helps you understand your body, breath, and stimulation.

What's important to remember

Squirting exists — this is confirmed both by Whipple and colleagues' historic 1981 study[1] and by a modern 2020 review[3].
The fluid is heterogeneous: a small amount of "true ejaculate" from Skene's glands contains PSA and fructose, while the copious squirt is largely of urinary origin, as shown by Salama's 2014 study[2][3].
This isn't urine in the everyday sense and isn't "incontinence": the fluid is released in the context of sexual response and is biochemically different from ordinary urine.
The capacity for squirting is an individual trait, not an indicator of a sexual "level"[2].
Shame and pressure to perform are the main enemies in this topic. Everything else is a matter of anatomy, practice, and trust.

Over the past forty years, science has gone from "this doesn't exist" to "it exists, here's the mechanism, we're refining the details." This is a rare and welcome case where female embodiment stops being folklore mystery and becomes the subject of normal conversation — with ultrasound, PSA, and respect for the fact that every body has its own scripts for pleasure.

FAQ

Is squirt urine or not?

Both yes and no. Salama and colleagues' 2014 study, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, showed that the main volume of fluid in a copious squirt comes from the bladder, but in some women it's mixed with secretion from Skene's glands containing PSA. So it isn't 'just urine' in the everyday sense but a specific fluid released in the context of sexual response.

Can all women squirt?

No. According to various estimates reported by science journalism citing review papers, the ability to squirt is noted in approximately 10–54% of women. The range is wide because of differing methodologies, but one thing is clear: the absence of squirting is a normal variant and has nothing to do with the 'quality' of orgasm.

What are Skene's glands?

These are paraurethral glands described by Scottish gynecologist Alexander Skene in 1880. They're located around the distal part of the urethra and are embryologically related to the male prostate. They're what secrete a small amount of fluid containing PSA and fructose — what in the narrow sense is called female ejaculate.

Are squirting and orgasm the same thing?

No. Orgasm is a neuromuscular process with rhythmic contractions of the pelvic floor, while squirting is a mechanical expulsion of fluid through the urethra. They can coincide, but for some women squirting happens without orgasm, and for others only alongside it.

Can you learn to squirt?

Science doesn't give a definitive answer: the ability partly depends on the anatomy of Skene's glands and the ability to relax the pelvic floor muscles. For some, practice, body work, and stimulation of the anterior vaginal wall combined with clitoral stimulation help. The main thing is to remove the pressure of results: the goal of practice isn't a 'fountain' but understanding your own sensations.

Sources

“Female Ejaculation: A Case Study” (1981), by Frank Addiego, Edwin G. Belzer Jr., Jill Comolli, William Moger, John D. Perry, and Beverly Whipple | Embryo Project Encyclopedia — Embryo Project Encyclopedia, Arizona State University
Female Squirting Is Mainly Made Up Of Urine, Study Shows | IFLScience — IFLScience
Female ejaculation: What is it, is it real, and are there any benefits — Medical News Today
Beverly Whipple - Wikipedia — Wikipedia
Female ejaculation - Wikipedia — Wikipedia