Can Women Squirt Or Is It Pee? | The Facts Explained

Research shows squirting and female ejaculation are related but distinct processes, with the large-volume fluid being primarily diluted urine.

You have probably heard the debate before. Video scenes spark questions, casual conversations bring up the same doubt, and a quick search leaves you more confused than before. Many people assume that if liquid comes out during a powerful orgasm, it must be urine — and that the whole thing is just a myth.

The actual picture is more interesting. Over the last decade, peer-reviewed research has distinguished between two separate processes: “squirting,” which involves a noticeable gush of thin, watery fluid, and “female ejaculation,” which is the release of a much smaller amount of milky fluid from a different source. This article explains what the science actually says.

Defining Two Separate Processes

One reason the debate has lasted so long is that people often use the terms interchangeably. In the research literature, squirting and female ejaculation refer to different phenomena with different fluid compositions and volumes.

Female ejaculation produces a thick, white fluid that resembles watered-down fat-free milk. The chemical analysis shows it is distinct from urine. It comes from the Skene’s glands, which are two small structures located near the lower end of the urethra. Cleveland Clinic describes the Skene’s glands as the female equivalent of the male prostate, and the fluid they produce contains proteins similar to those found in semen, including prostatic-specific antigen (PSA).

Squirting, in contrast, is the expulsion of a larger volume of clear, watery fluid. A 2015 study published in PubMed analyzed this fluid and found its chemical profile closely matches that of urine, although it may contain trace amounts of PSA that pick up as it passes through the urethra.

Why Volume Matters

The volume difference is one of the clearest distinguishing features. Female ejaculation typically involves about a teaspoon (3 to 5 mL) of fluid. Squirting can release significantly more — sometimes tens of milliliters — which is more consistent with the capacity of the bladder.

Why The Pee Question Sticks

It makes sense that people wonder. If the large-volume fluid comes from the urethra and chemical analysis says it is mostly urine, why not just call it pee?

Part of the confusion comes from the way language has evolved. The term “squirting” in popular media and adult content often describes the dramatic gush, which is the urine-heavy phenomenon. Female ejaculation, which is the smaller milky release, is less visible and often gets lumped into the same category.

Another source of confusion is coital incontinence. Accidental urine leakage during sexual activity is a separate condition that some people with vaginas experience. It is not the same as either squirting or female ejaculation, but the similarity in appearance can blur the lines in someone’s mind.

• Skene’s gland fluid: Small volume, milky or white appearance, chemically distinct from urine, contains PSA.
• Squirting fluid: Large volume, clear and watery, primarily urine with possible trace PSA.
• Coital incontinence: Accidental urine leakage during sex, not associated with orgasm or glandular fluid.
• Vaginal lubrication: Produced by the vaginal walls and Bartholin’s glands during arousal, unrelated to urethral expulsion.
• Orgasmic gushing: A general term sometimes used interchangeably with squirting, though researchers prefer precise definitions.

What The Fluid Analysis Actually Shows

The research that settled this question came from a 2015 study that used ultrasound and chemical analysis. Researchers imaged the bladder before and after squirting episodes and found that participants began with a full bladder and ended with an empty one. Chemical tests on the expelled fluid confirmed it was diluted urine.

The same study noted that some samples also contained PSA. The interpretation is that the Skene’s glands release their fluid into the urethra during sexual stimulation, and this small amount of prostatic fluid mixes with the urine as it exits the body. The large volume, however, is bladder-derived. That distinction is why many researchers describe Nature of squirting as primarily urination plus a small glandular contribution.

Some researchers hypothesize that the glandular fluid may serve a biological purpose. A small study suggested it could contain antimicrobial compounds such as zinc, which might help protect the urinary tract. The evidence for this is limited, but it points to the possibility that female ejaculation is not simply a byproduct of arousal.

How Common Is Each Experience?

Estimates vary widely because most surveys rely on self-reporting rather than clinical confirmation. Some studies suggest that around 10 to 50 percent of women with vaginas have experienced some form of fluid release during orgasm at least once.

The wide range reflects differences in how surveys define the phenomenon. When researchers specifically ask about “a gush of fluid” versus “a milky discharge,” the numbers change. Most people who experience fluid release describe a clear, watery gush rather than the thick milky fluid of female ejaculation.

1. Self-reporting is imperfect: Many people may not distinguish between squirting, female ejaculation, and coital incontinence in their own experience.
2. Skene’s gland anatomy varies: A study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine investigated differences in the size and number of Skene’s gland orifices among women who reported consistent ejaculation compared to those who did not.
3. Pelvic floor strength matters: The ability to expel fluid may relate to pelvic floor muscle control and whether the urethral sphincter relaxes during orgasm.
4. Arousal technique plays a role: Stimulation of the G-spot area, which sits near the Skene’s glands, may increase the likelihood of any fluid release.

Distinguishing Squirting From Other Fluid Loss

If you are trying to understand your own body or a partner’s, context matters. The fluid from female ejaculation looks like watered-down fat-free milk, tastes sweet, and does not smell like urine. Squirting fluid looks and smells like very dilute urine because that is primarily what it is.

Coital incontinence, by contrast, tends to happen during penetration rather than specifically at orgasm. It often occurs in people who also experience urinary incontinence at other times, such as during exercise or coughing. WebMD provides a clear breakdown of Squirting vs female ejaculation that can help readers sort through the differences.

None of these experiences are harmful or abnormal. Female ejaculation and squirting are normal variations of sexual response for some people, and coital incontinence is a manageable condition that can be discussed with a pelvic floor physical therapist or gynecologist.

The Bottom Line

Squirting and female ejaculation are real, distinct phenomena. The large-volume gush is primarily diluted urine from the bladder, while the smaller milky release comes from the Skene’s glands and is chemically different from urine. Both can occur during orgasm, and neither indicates anything wrong with your body. The confusion persists mainly because popular language lumps them together under one label.

If you have persistent involuntary urine leakage during sex that bothers you or affects your quality of life, consider speaking with a gynecologist or a pelvic floor physical therapist to explore your options — your situation may be coital incontinence rather than either form of ejaculation, and it is often treatable.

Send us your feedbackTell us what you thought about this post

⚠Please use a real email you check. If it's fake or mistyped, your message won't reach us and we can't reply — wrong addresses are rejected automatically.

Name *Email *

Your comment *

Quick check — what is …? *

Send feedback