Squirting: What’s Really Going On?

By Dr. Jen, Sexual Health Specialist

Squirting — also called “female ejaculation” — is one of those topics that’s surrounded by curiosity, myth, and a fair bit of misunderstanding. Many people have heard of it, some have experienced it, and others wonder if it’s even real. From a medical standpoint, it is real — but it’s not exactly what many people imagine.

What Is Squirting, Medically Speaking?

Squirting refers to the expulsion of fluid from the female urethra during sexual arousal or orgasm. This fluid is not menstrual blood and it’s not simply “regular urine,” though urine can sometimes be part of it. Studies using ultrasound and biochemical analysis have shown that the fluid originates in the bladder and is released through the urethra, often mixed with small amounts of secretions from the Skene’s glands (sometimes called the “female prostate”).

What’s Happening in the Body?

When a person with a vulva becomes sexually aroused, increased blood flow to the pelvic area causes tissues around the urethra and vaginal wall to swell. The Skene’s glands, located near the urethra, can secrete a small amount of fluid that contains prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and other compounds also found in male ejaculate (minus sperm).

If stimulation — particularly of the anterior vaginal wall (often referred to as the G-spot region) — continues, the bladder can fill rapidly with diluted fluid. Muscular contractions during orgasm (or intense arousal) can push this fluid out forcefully, resulting in squirting.

Is It the Same as Female Ejaculation?

Not quite. In medical literature, “female ejaculation” usually refers to a small, milky-white fluid released from the Skene’s glands. “Squirting” refers to a much larger volume of clear or slightly cloudy fluid that primarily comes from the bladder. Many people use the terms interchangeably, but they are physiologically different events that can also happen together.

Is It Just Pee?

This is where the debate often gets heated. Research shows that the fluid often contains urea and creatinine — substances found in urine — but also has components not normally present in urine, such as PSA. Think of it like this: the bladder is the storage tank, but the body can produce this fluid specifically during sexual activity, and it’s often much more diluted than typical urine.

Can It Be Learned?

Yes. While some people naturally squirt without trying, for others it can be learned with practice, relaxation, and specific stimulation techniques — often with the help of a partner who understands how to engage the G-spot region and create the right level of arousal. For many, it is an intensely pleasurable and distinctly different type of orgasm, with a deep, full-body release. That said, it is equally normal if you never achieve it. Squirting is one possible expression of sexual response, not a measure of sexual ability.

Does Everyone Squirt?

No. Some people never experience it, and that’s completely normal. Squirting is not a sign of “better” sex or greater orgasm quality — it’s just one of many physiological responses the body may have. Some people can learn to do it with specific stimulation, others can’t, and neither is a problem from a medical perspective.

A Healthy Perspective

If squirting happens and it feels good, there’s no medical reason to worry. It’s not harmful, it’s not a sign of incontinence, and it’s not an indicator of sexual “performance.” It’s simply one possible, healthy variation of sexual response. If it doesn’t happen for you, that’s equally normal — pleasure is about sensation and connection, not the volume of fluid involved.

Key takeaway: Squirting is real, it’s mostly fluid from the bladder, and it’s part of the wide range of human sexual experiences. Like all aspects of intimacy, it’s best approached with curiosity, communication, and zero pressure.

If you would like some tips to give it a try, see my follow up Blog - Squirting: A Gentle Guide To Encouraging It

Much Loving

Dr Jen.