Everybody knows that men ejaculate. But unless you have experienced it yourself or you’ve come across "gushing" or "squirting ladies" on the Web, you may be unaware that some women sometimes expel a significant amount of fluid during sex.
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Male ejaculate—semen—is a mix of fluids. Sperm are produced in the testicles, from where they move up through the vas deferens (that’s what gets cut during a vasectomy) towards the urethra. The seminal vesicles add nourishing liquid along the way to keep the sperm fuelled up on their venture to meet the egg. The male prostate gland, located just below the bladder, adds an alkaline solution that will help the sperm survive in the acidic vagina. Finally, the Cowper’s or bulbourethral glands add a little bit of precum, which acts as lubricant. The typical volume of semen is three quarters of a teaspoon to one tablespoon (2-15 ml).
What then is female ejaculate made out of? Where does it come from? And what is its purpose? That’s simple: We really don’t know. Dr. Beverly Whipple, named one of the world’s 50 most influential living scientists by New Scientist magazine and co-author of the book The G Spot (released in the mid-’80s), has done some studies in this area.
Whipple and colleagues have found that female ejaculate comes from the urethra, probably more precisely from some glands surrounding the urethra (also called the female prostate). The volume is around 3-5 ml (or more) and it looks milky white. The larger the volume, the more watery it gets. Some of the women who ejaculate say it happens especially if they are very turned on during sex.
By the way, recognition of female ejaculate goes all the way back to the Greek philosopher Aristotle; and the female prostate was first described in the second century by the Roman physician Galen. Hundreds of years later, in the 17th century, the Dutch anatomist de Graaf noted female fluid "coming in one gush" during sexual excitement. Since then, female ejaculation seemed to have vanished from anatomy books as well as people’s minds, only to be rediscovered a few years ago by scientists like Whipple and a few others.
In Whipple’s studies, the liquid was not necessarily released during orgasm, but collected after the G spot or clitoris were stimulated. Female ejaculate has a different consistency than urine, in case you’re wondering, and resembles the type of fluid that is released from the male prostate. (Considering that male and female embryos start out looking exactly alike, with identical embryonic structures, it is not surprising that women also have the ability to release prostatic liquid.)
So don’t be surprised if this happens to you sometime. Relax. Just let it all flow and enjoy it. Don’t worry that something might be wrong with you. Indeed, you may even ejaculate a little without ever noticing it. Or you may fear that it’s urine and hold back. Well, anything can be cleaned up! And it’s always a pleasure to learn more about your body.
In case you want to explore female ejaculation further, go to www.gspotcenter.com or www.the-clitoris.com.
Annette Owens, MD, Ph.D., is certified by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. She sees clients in her Charlottesville office (cvillewellness.com) and answers questions online at LoveandHealth.info and SexualHealth.com. She has co-edited the new four-volume book, Sexual Health (Praeger).
