At what stages of sexual arousal or orgasm do women typically experience ejaculation?

1. Where in the classic sexual-response cycle fluid release is described

Descriptions tied to the Masters and Johnson model place orgasm as the endpoint of the plateau phase, when built-up neuromuscular tension is released and women typically experience vaginal and uterine contractions; several sources state that ejaculation or expulsion of fluid may occur at or during that orgasmic discharge of tension ^{[1] [6]}. Medical overviews likewise say vaginal wetness and possible ejaculatory fluid can appear “before and during an orgasm,” linking the event to those late arousal / orgasm stages rather than to basal, non-aroused states ^[2].

2. Multiple phenomena are often conflated: ejaculation vs. squirting

Contemporary reporting and reviews emphasize that “female ejaculation” (a smaller-volume, often whitish fluid from paraurethral/Skene’s glands) and “squirting” or gushing (often a larger-volume, urine-containing bladder expulsion) are distinct phenomena in some researchers’ views; many articles caution that inconsistent definitions have muddied the literature ^{[7] [5] [3]}. Journalistic and clinical sources say both can be reported around strong stimulation or orgasm, but they may have different physiological sources and timing ^{[3] [5]}.

3. Sensation and timing vary between individuals

First-person reports collected in clinical summaries and patient-guides say some women feel a gradual “build-up of pressure” or a warm wave that culminates in release, others feel a sudden urge like needing to pee before the fluid exits, and some ejaculate only at the subjective height of climax; this reinforces that timing can be during plateau, at orgasm, or immediately adjacent to the orgasmic peak depending on the person ^{[8] [3] [6]}. Sources explicitly note that not everyone experiences it and that sensation differs widely ^{[4] [9]}.

4. How common—estimates and limitations

Reported prevalence varies considerably: one review cited a range (10–54%) of people who experience female ejaculation, reflecting sparse data and differing study designs ^[4]. Wikipedia and academic commentaries underline that research suffers from small samples, inconsistent definitions and methodologies, and selection biases, so population-level estimates remain unreliable ^[5].

5. Physiological theories and unresolved questions

Researchers have proposed the Skene’s (paraurethral) glands as a source of a whitish ejaculatory secretion and have found markers like prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in some samples—suggesting a glandular origin for at least some fluid—but other studies find bladder-derived urine in many squirting episodes, leaving the adaptive purpose and exact mechanics unresolved ^{[10] [5]}. Several authors conclude the adaptive function is unclear and call for better-controlled research ^{[10] [9]}.

6. What clinicians and educators recommend in practice

Clinical and consumer-facing articles recommend treating female ejaculation as a normal variation of sexual response when it occurs: listening to partners’ experiences, avoiding shame or stigmatization, and acknowledging the variability in sensation, timing, and composition of the fluid ^{[9] [8]}. Sources also warn that porn portrayals may misrepresent frequency and mechanics, further complicating expectations ^[9].

Limitations and caveats about available reporting

Available sources repeatedly emphasize that scientific evidence is limited, methods vary, and scholars have not reached consensus about definitions, mechanisms, prevalence, or function—so firm, universally applicable statements about exact stages or timing cannot be made from current reporting ^{[5] [4] [10]}. If you want next steps, look for peer-reviewed empirical studies that clearly separate “Skene’s/paraurethral ejaculate” from bladder-derived “squirting” and that use larger, representative samples; such specific studies were not included among the current results (not found in current reporting).