Skene's gland anatomy and what these small glands do

A small gland with a big story

Most people learn about the vagina, the uterus and the clitoris in school. Very few hear about the Skene's glands, even though nearly everyone with a vulva has them. They are small, they are quiet most of the time, and they only became a regular topic in sexual health over the last few decades.

Yet these glands sit at the centre of some of the most common questions about sex, from "what is that milky fluid" to "is squirting real". Understanding them takes much of the mystery and worry out of those questions.

Where the Skene's glands are

The urethra is the short tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside. In people with a vulva, it runs just above the front wall of the vagina. The Skene's glands lie along the lower part of this tube, embedded in the tissue between the urethra and the vagina.

Each side has a small cluster of gland tissue with tiny ducts. These ducts open as two very small openings, one on each side of the urethral opening, or sometimes into the urethra itself. You usually cannot see them, and they are easy to miss even during a gynecological exam.

Because they sit in the front vaginal wall, the glands lie close to the area many people call the G-spot. Ernst Graefenberg described a sensitive zone on the front wall in 1950, and later writers connected that zone to the tissue around the urethra, including the Skene's glands. Many researchers now think the G-spot is better described as an area where several structures meet, rather than one separate spot.

The names behind the glands

The glands carry the name of Alexander Skene, a Scottish born gynecologist working in New York, who described them in 1880. He was interested in infections of these glands, not in sexual function.

Much later, the Slovak pathologist Milan Zaviacic spent years studying this tissue, with most of his work published in the 1980s and 1990s. He showed that it shares many features with the male prostate, including the same marker proteins. He argued that "female prostate" is the more accurate name. You will see both names, along with "paraurethral glands", in medical texts. They all describe the same tissue.

What the glands actually do

The Skene's glands do more than one job. Researchers have described these main roles.

1. Lubricating the urethral opening. The glands release a small amount of fluid that keeps the area around the urethral opening moist.
2. Helping defend against infection. The fluid is thought to have antimicrobial properties, which may help protect the urinary tract. This is one reason researchers are interested in links between the glands and urinary tract infections.
3. Producing female ejaculate. During arousal and orgasm, some people release a small amount of thick, whitish fluid from these glands. This is what scientists mean by female ejaculation.

The secretion contains prostate type markers such as PSA (prostate specific antigen) and prostatic acid phosphatase. Wimpissinger and colleagues found PSA in female ejaculate in a small study published in 2007, which supports the view that this fluid really comes from the Skene's tissue.

Why the size of the glands varies

One of Zaviacic's key observations was that the amount and position of this tissue differ a lot from person to person. In some bodies the gland tissue is quite developed. In others there is very little.

This helps explain why experiences differ so much. Some people notice a milky release during orgasm. Others never notice anything. Neither is better, and neither means something is wrong. If you have been wondering about your own body, our guide on whether all women can squirt explains why variation is the rule, not the exception.

The link to squirting

The Skene's glands are often named as the source of squirting, but the full picture is more nuanced. Studies that used ultrasound and chemical testing, such as Salama and colleagues in 2015, found that the larger clear gush most people call squirting comes mainly from the bladder. In most samples, though, the researchers also found PSA, which suggests a little Skene's fluid joins the stream.

So the glands play a part in squirting, but usually a small one. Their main contribution is the separate, thicker fluid of female ejaculation. Our side by side comparison of squirting vs female ejaculation lays out the differences in amount, colour and source.

Common Skene's gland problems

Like any gland, the Skene's glands can occasionally run into trouble. These issues are not common, but they are worth knowing.

• Skenitis. An infection or inflammation of the glands. It can cause pain near the urethral opening, pain during sex, or burning when passing urine. It is sometimes mistaken for a regular urinary tract infection.
• Cysts. If a duct becomes blocked, fluid can collect and form a small lump near the urethral opening. Small cysts may cause no symptoms. Larger ones can cause pressure, a change in the urine stream or discomfort.
• Abscess. An infected cyst can turn into a painful, swollen abscess that needs prompt treatment.

Most of these problems respond well to treatment, which may include antibiotics, drainage or, rarely, minor surgery.

Because the glands are small and close to the urethra, their problems are easy to confuse with other conditions. A doctor will usually start with a gentle exam of the vulva and the urethral opening, and may press lightly on the front vaginal wall to see whether fluid comes from the gland openings. Urine tests help rule out a bladder infection. If a lump is found, an ultrasound or an MRI scan can show its size and whether it belongs to the Skene's glands or to a nearby structure, such as a urethral diverticulum. Asking about these steps in advance often makes the visit feel less daunting.

When to talk to a doctor

See a gynecologist or urologist if you notice a lump or swelling near the urethral opening, pain or burning when passing urine that keeps coming back, pain during sex, unusual discharge, or blood. If you leak urine during daily activities, a pelvic floor physiotherapist can also help. Mention the Skene's glands by name if you think they may be involved. It helps the conversation.