Biology is messy. Honestly, most of us grew up with a very binary, simplified version of human anatomy that fits neatly into middle school textbooks but falls apart the second you look at actual clinical data. If you ask a random person on the street, "Do only males have prostates?" they’ll likely say yes without a second thought. It’s one of those "facts" we take for granted, right next to the idea that we only use ten percent of our brains or that hair grows back thicker after shaving.
Both are wrong.
The truth is way more fascinating and, frankly, a bit overlooked in mainstream medicine. While biological males have the "standard" prostate gland everyone talks about, biological females possess a homologous structure called the Skene’s gland. For decades, this was ignored or dismissed as just a minor part of the urinary system. But in 2002, the Federative International Committee on Anatomical Terminology officially renamed the Skene’s gland the "female prostate."
So, strictly speaking, the answer is no. It’s not just a male thing.
Evolution Doesn't Start from Scratch
To understand why this gland exists in everyone, you have to go back to the womb. We all start from the same "blueprint" during the first few weeks of embryonic development. It isn't until the SRY gene on the Y chromosome kicks in that things start to diverge.
Think of it like a house. The foundation and the basic framing are identical. Whether that frame eventually becomes a Victorian or a Modernist home depends on the finishing work. In the same way, the tissue that becomes the prostate in a male becomes the Skene’s gland in a female. They are made of the same stuff. They are "homologs."
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This isn't just some weird anatomical trivia. It has real-world medical implications. Because these glands share the same origin, they share some of the same functions—and unfortunately, some of the same problems.
What Does a "Female Prostate" Actually Do?
For a long time, doctors thought the Skene’s gland was basically useless. Just a vestigial leftover. However, research by experts like Dr. Milan Zaviačič, a pathologist who spent years studying this specific tissue, revealed that it’s highly active.
It’s located on the front wall of the vagina, around the lower end of the urethra. It produces several of the same proteins that the male prostate does. One of the most famous is Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA).
You’ve probably heard of PSA in the context of cancer screenings for men. If a man’s PSA levels are high, it might indicate inflammation or prostate cancer. Well, women have PSA too. It’s produced by the Skene’s gland. While it’s usually found in much lower concentrations, its presence proves that this tissue is functionally very similar to the male version.
There's also the "female ejaculation" debate. For years, people argued about whether this was a real thing or just... well, pee. Chemical analysis of the fluid has shown that in many cases, it contains high levels of PSA and prostatic acid phosphatase, substances produced by—you guessed it—the Skene’s gland. It’s a distinct fluid that isn't urine.
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When Things Go Wrong: Prostatitis in Women?
Since the Skene’s gland is histologically a prostate, it can get sick just like a male prostate. This is where things get tricky for patients.
If a man has a painful, inflamed prostate, a urologist knows exactly what to look for. But if a woman has chronic pelvic pain or recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs) that aren't actually UTIs, the Skene’s gland is often the last thing a doctor checks.
Skeneitis—inflammation of the gland—can feel almost identical to a bladder infection. You get the burning, the urgency, and the pressure. But then the urine culture comes back clean. The doctor is confused. The patient is frustrated. Often, the issue is actually an infection or a cyst in the female prostate.
There are even documented cases of female prostate cancer. It is incredibly rare. We are talking "medical journal case study" levels of rarity. But it happens. Because the tissue is the same, it can develop the same malignancies. If a woman presents with high PSA levels and pelvic pain, a savvy doctor might actually look at the Skene's gland as the culprit.
Why Does This Matter for You?
Understanding that the prostate isn't "male-only" changes how we view pelvic health. It’s about more than just semantics.
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- Better Diagnosis: If you’re a woman dealing with "ghost UTIs" (all the symptoms, no bacteria), bringing up the Skene’s gland to a urologist might save you months of useless antibiotics.
- Sexual Health: Recognizing the role of the Skene's gland can help people understand their own bodies and sexual responses without shame or confusion.
- Medical Research: For a long time, clinical trials focused on "men's health" and "women's health" as if they were two different species. Recognizing homologous structures like the prostate helps us understand how diseases manifest across the whole human spectrum.
It’s also worth noting that for transgender individuals, the prostate stays. A trans woman who has undergone gender-affirming surgery (vaginoplasty) still has a prostate. It doesn't disappear just because the external anatomy changes. On the flip side, a trans man may have a Skene’s gland that becomes more active or even slightly enlarged due to testosterone therapy.
A Shift in the Medical Narrative
We are slowly moving away from the idea that certain organs are "pink" or "blue."
The discovery and subsequent renaming of the female prostate is a huge win for medical accuracy. It validates the experiences of patients who felt like their symptoms didn't fit the standard "female anatomy" box.
Still, there’s a lot we don't know. We need more studies on how hormones affect the Skene's gland over a lifetime. Does it change during menopause? Does it play a role in the microbiome of the reproductive tract? We’re just starting to scratch the surface.
How to Take Action Regarding Your Pelvic Health
If you’ve been struggling with pelvic issues and suspect the Skene's gland might be involved, you shouldn't just sit on that information.
- Find a Urogynecologist: This is a sub-specialty that bridges the gap between urology and gynecology. They are much more likely to be familiar with Skene's gland disorders than a general practitioner.
- Track Your Symptoms: Is the pain linked to your cycle? Does it happen after intimacy? Does it feel like a "deep" pressure or a "surface" burn? Specifics matter.
- Ask for Specific Tests: If you have recurring symptoms but negative cultures, ask about a Skene’s gland palpation or an ultrasound of the urethral area.
- Don't Accept "It's All in Your Head": Chronic pelvic pain is often dismissed. If your doctor won't look into the possibility of Skeneitis or related issues, find a provider who will.
Science is constantly updating. The "males-only" prostate rule is a relic of the past. By acknowledging the female prostate, we get a much clearer, much more honest picture of how the human body actually functions.
The next time someone tries to tell you the prostate is just for guys, you’ve got a pretty great "well, actually" ready to go. It’s not about being pedantic; it’s about being accurate. And in medicine, accuracy is everything.