What role do the Skene's glands and the G-spot play in female ejaculation and arousal?
Executive summary
Scientific and popular sources agree that Skene’s glands — often called the “female prostate” — produce a whitish, prostate-like secretion and are a plausible source of the small-volume “female ejaculate,” but their role is not definitively proven and anatomy varies widely between individuals [1] [2] [3]. The existence of a discrete G‑spot remains controversial: some researchers link a sensitive anterior vaginal/urethral area to Skene’s tissue, while systematic reviews and rebuttals conclude there is no clear anatomical G‑spot and no proven causal link to Skene’s glands [4] [5] [6].
1. Skene’s glands: the “female prostate” with a plausible secretion role
Anatomical and clinical literature identifies Skene’s glands as paraurethral structures that secrete a milk‑like ultrafiltrate and contain proteins (PSA, prostatic acid phosphatase) similar to the male prostate, which is why many authors call them the female prostate and consider them a plausible source of female ejaculate [1] [2]. Multiple health‑information sources and reviews state researchers believe Skene’s glands may produce a mucus‑ or milky‑white fluid released during sexual arousal or orgasm in some people, and analyses of that fluid have sometimes found components distinct from urine and similar to male ejaculate [7] [3] [4].
2. Female ejaculation versus squirting: different fluids, different explanations
Reported phenomena fall into at least two categories: a small whitish ejaculate thought to originate from Skene’s glands, and larger‑volume “squirting” events that research shows often include bladder urine; many sources explicitly distinguish the two and caution that squirting can be primarily bladder expulsion while female ejaculate may be glandular [1] [8] [9]. Epidemiological and imaging work shows wide variation — some people report both phenomena, others neither — and part of that variation maps to anatomical differences in gland size and presence [8] [3].
3. Anatomy varies; that variation explains inconsistent reporting
Several studies and reviews emphasize that Skene’s glands are highly variable between people: they can be small, numerous, or in some reports even absent, and orifice number also varies; that heterogeneity provides a simple anatomical explanation for why some people experience glandular ejaculation and others do not [10] [3] [11]. New Scientist and other summaries report cadaveric and enzymatic work that found PDE5 clustering and variable gland presence — and where glands were tiny or absent the idea of a reliable, distinct “G‑spot orgasm” becomes less likely [6].
4. The G‑spot: an area of debate, not settled anatomy
The term “G‑spot” names a sensitive anterior vaginal area described by Gräfenberg; however, authoritative reviews conclude evidence for a discrete anatomical G‑spot is inconclusive and that no definitive link between a single G‑spot structure and Skene’s glands has been produced [4] [12]. PubMed listings include rebuttals asserting “the G‑spot does not exist,” underscoring ongoing scientific disagreement about whether reported G‑spot sensations reflect a distinct organ or simply variable anatomy and integrated clitoral‑urethral‑vaginal tissue sensitivity [5] [4].
5. Functional theories: lubrication, antimicrobial defense, and sexual response
Beyond ejaculation, sources describe Skene’s glands as contributing lubrication during arousal and raising speculative hypotheses — including an antimicrobial role that could reduce post‑coital UTI risk — but those evolutionary or protective explanations remain theoretical and not definitively demonstrated in humans [2] [10] [13]. Reviews note glandular swelling with arousal and secretion of proteins and sugars (glucose/fructose) consistent with glandular — not purely urinary — output in at least some samples [1] [4].
6. What the evidence cannot yet settle
Current reporting and reviews agree on facts of gland location, biochemical similarity to prostatic fluid, and wide anatomical variability, but they disagree on causation: whether Skene’s glands are the principal source of all forms of female ejaculation, how often glandular versus bladder‑derived fluid causes reported events, and whether a distinct G‑spot exists as an anatomical structure [1] [4] [8]. Some clinical and imaging studies support a link; systematic reviews call the evidence inconclusive or lacking direct proof [3] [4].
7. Practical takeaways for patients and clinicians
Clinicians and educators should acknowledge that Skene’s glands can produce prostate‑like secretions and may account for small‑volume female ejaculation in some people, while larger‑volume squirting often has a urinary component; they should also recognize anatomical variation and the unsettled status of a discrete G‑spot when counseling patients [1] [8] [3]. Available sources do not mention definitive clinical tests to confirm glandular versus urinary origin in routine practice, and the literature recommends careful, measured language to avoid overstating claims [4] [3].
Limitations: this analysis uses the provided sources only; points not mentioned in those sources are reported as “available sources do not mention” or left out.