'Queefing' doesn’t just happen in bed — here’s why it happens and why you shouldn't be embarrassed

If your vagina makes strange farting noises during sex, then congratulations, you've experienced queefs. Queefing happen when air gets into your vagina and then comes back out, sometimes making that familiar farty sound as it passes through the vaginal opening.

But it's not the same as farting. Farts are caused by bacteria breaking down food and releasing gas, hence the odour. But queefs are odourless, since your vagina only traps air in.

When and where can it happen?

Although most people associate queefing with sex, it can happen in plenty of other situations such as:

• During or after exercise: Movements like squats, yoga poses, or stretching can shift air into and out of the vagina.

• When standing up or changing positions: Getting out of bed or moving from sitting to standing can release trapped air.

• During medical exams: Inserting a speculum or undergoing internal exams can introduce air.

• While using menstrual products: Tampons or menstrual cups can sometimes contribute to air being trapped and later released.

• After childbirth: Weakened pelvic floor muscles and changes in vaginal elasticity can make queefing more common.

Why you shouldn’t be embarrassed

First, queefing is natural. It happens to people with vaginas of all ages and backgrounds. It’s not dirty, it’s not dangerous, and it doesn’t mean anything is wrong with your body.

The stigma around queefing is rooted in the larger cultural discomfort with discussing vaginal health openly. But just like burping or sneezing, it’s a physiological event, your body doing what it needs to do.

Your body is just doing what it does best—taking care of you. So the next time it happens, try laughing it off, or better yet, don’t even give it a second thought.