Understanding Female Ejaculation: How Ejaculation Works

Female ejaculation is a phenomenon that some vulva owners experience during sexual activity, masturbation, or orgasm. While research is still underway to determine the origin of female ejaculation, some researchers posit that female ejaculation originates in the Skene’s glands. Also known as the female prostate, the Skene’s glands are small glands on the lower end of the urethra, similar to the male prostate gland. During sexual arousal, these glands produce a fluid comprised of different components and enzymes, including blood plasma, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostatic acid phosphatase, creatinine, urea, and fructose, which secretes through small openings near the urethra.

This emission is different from the fluid expelled during “squirting,” the fluid generated during arousal that aids in vaginal lubrication, or urinary leakage due to coital incontinence. The purpose of female ejaculation remains unclear as scientists continue to research the adaptive function of this phenomenon.

The exact causes of female ejaculation are unclear. Some researchers believe that ejaculation is achieved through vaginal, clitoral, and G-spot stimulation, often using a vibrator. Some vulva owners report expelling the fluid during orgasm, while others express this fluid upon sexual stimulation. Additionally, some vulva owners report a link between ejaculation and their menstrual cycle, reporting that they are more likely to ejaculate after ovulation and before menstruating.

Female ejaculation and squirting (also called gushing) may seem identical superficially, with both often colloquially referred to as “squirting.” However, there are significant differences between the two phenomenons:

• Type of fluid: The secretion expelled during female ejaculation is a whitish, milky substance known as ejaculate. The emission expelled during squirting is a clear watery fluid that is a diluted form of urine.
• Origin: While female ejaculate originates in the Skene’s glands near the urethral opening, the liquid produced during squirting originates in the bladder.
• Volume: Ejaculating produces a small volume of fluid—between .3 milliliters and 15 milliliters. When a vulva owner squirts or gushes, they can produce much more fluid, up to 150 milliliters.
• Sensation: Some vulva owners may not feel different sensations during female ejaculation. Conversely, some vulva owners report a feeling similar to urination when squirting.

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