Squirting refers to the ejaculation of liquid other than urine from the vagina. Some people call it female ejaculation. The exact cause of this is unclear.

Some scientists believe that squirting either does not happen or is rare. However, a 2017 study found that approximately 69% of participants experienced this ejaculation.

Other scientists have proposed that the fluid involved in squirting is actually urine, but this is contested. The research from 2017 defines female ejaculation as “the outflow of a liquid different from the urine through the urethra at the moment of orgasm.”

Below, learn more about what squirting feels like, why it happens, and how to try.

Person plays in a sprinkler with a rainbow in the background.Share on Pinterest
Image credit: Flashpop/Getty Images

People who squirt often report producing a relatively large volume of fluid. In a 2013 study of squirting, roughly 79% of participants and 90% of their partners said that squirting enhanced their sex lives.

The sensations associated with squirting vary from person to person. Some people report more intense orgasms or a change in their orgasm patterns.

Others report specific sensations associated with G-spot stimulation, such as tingling or a mild need to urinate.

Expelling fluid is common during ejaculation. When this involves the vagina, some refer to it as squirting or female ejaculation, though not everyone with a vagina is female.

The estimated frequency and volume of squirting vary. One challenge to research is that it relies on self-reporting, and different people understand squirting to mean different things. Also, some people may not notice when they squirt.

A 2013 study found that most people who squirt do so regularly, and many do so weekly or more often. The same research found that roughly 29% of participants who squirt report the volume of their ejaculate as approximately 2 ounces.

Researchers do not fully understand what causes squirting. Some people who squirt do so in response to G-spot stimulation. This, too, remains a source of controversy, as some researchers deny that the G-spot exists.

One theory about the cause of squirting relates to the ways that bodies develop in the womb. Reproductive anatomy can be analogous in many ways — for example, the head of the penis and the clitoris are developmentally similar.

As a result, some researchers suggest that squirting originates with a female prostate or prostate analog.

Researchers who endorse this idea believe that squirting may happen when a person stimulates the female prostate. Therefore, they say, the fluid is prostate fluid, not urine or other fluids of arousal.

Many anecdotal accounts and most scientific research into squirting emphasize the importance of G-spot stimulation.

However, the 2013 study found that this ejaculation resulted from various types of stimulation. The researchers also found that:

  • Participants were more likely to squirt when masturbating than when having sex with a partner.
  • Squirting usually occurred at orgasm.
  • Many study participants highlighted the importance of “letting go” and relaxing.

Overall, G-spot stimulation remains the most popular recommendation. For anyone looking to squirt for the first time, it may help to focus on the G-spot.

Squirting when masturbating

A person may find it easier to squirt when masturbating, rather than during sex with a partner, because they can focus entirely on their own sensations and adjust accordingly.

To find the G-spot, first, get comfortable. Next, use fingers or a sex toy to stimulate the front wall of the vagina, beginning about a third of the way up.

A person may experience a tingling sensation or the need to urinate when they locate their G-spot. To intensify the pleasure, try stimulating the clitoris as well.

Squirting with toys

For a person who wants to use toys, some offer dual G-spot and clitoral stimulation. However, ejaculation can result from a range of techniques.

A person might try a:

Vibrator on the clitoris

While having penetrative sex with a partner, ask the partner to focus on stimulating the front wall of the vagina, where the G-spot is. Then, use a vibrator to stimulate the clitoris for an intense orgasm.

Dildo or vibrator on the G-spot

During solo sex or stimulation with a partner, use a dildo or vibrator to stimulate the G-spot. Try inserting the toy into the vagina and stimulating the front wall.

Squirting during partnered sex

During partnered sex without toys, a person might try stimulating the G-spot with their fingers or trying a sexual position that stimulates the front wall of the vagina, where the G-spot is located.

Some of these positions include:

Reverse cowgirl

In this position, the penetrative partner sits beneath the other partner. The partner on top faces away from them.

Either person can also stimulate the top partner’s clitoris in this position.

Sex from behind

This position can make it easier for the penetrative partner to hit the G-spot. For more stimulation to the front wall of the vagina, lie flat while the penetrative partner remains slightly elevated.

Modified sex from behind

Kneel and bend forward, with the shoulders close to the ground while the penetrative partner remains upright. It may be more pleasureable if they rock back and forth rather than thrusting in and out.

As with any sex position, it is crucial to adjust these for comfort and pleasure.

Below are some commonly asked questions about squirting.

Is squirting during orgasm normal?

According to one study, 10-54% of women experience squirting during orgasm.

Is squirting pee?

One 2015 study suggests that squirting is essentially the involuntary emission of urine, and marginal amounts of female prostate secretions, during sex.

However, other researchers contest this. A 2017 study claims that female ejaculation is a phenomenon characterized by the outflow of a liquid, different from the urine, through the urethra, at the moment of orgasm.

Do all women have the ability to squirt?

Researchers do not fully understand what causes squirting and whether all women have the ability to do so. One study suggests that squirting is prevalent in 10-54% of women.

Squirting is the outflow of a liquid other than urine from the vagina’s urethra during an orgasm. Some people call this female ejaculation, though not everyone with a vagina is female.

People who squirt may do so regularly, it may be easier to squirt during masturbation, and the amount of liquid may typically be about 2 ounces.

Qualities that enhance sex in general — open communication, a willingness to experiment, and a focus on pleasure — may make squirting easier.