At This Age, A Lot Of Women Start Secretly Wondering If They Married The Right Person

Here's when some women secretly start their affairs.

Last updated on Nov 07, 2025

Lonely woman sitting on sofa in quiet home, deep in anxious reflection, wondering if she married the right person — emotional insight into midlife relationship doubt. Peopleimages.com - YuriArcurs | Canva
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Why do women cheat? Is it because of the seven-year itch, or perhaps a midlife crisis? Whatever a woman's reasons for cheating on her husband may be, there is a certain time in a woman’s marriage when she is statistically more likely to fall into another man’s arms.

Though we are all individuals with our own motivations, research into the phenomena of extramarital affairs reveals some common patterns when it comes to what causes wives to run off with the pool guy, get frisky with the cable dude, or sip cocktails in bed with another man.

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At this age, a lot of women start secretly wondering if they married the right person.

According to a study conducted by the people at the extramarital affair dating site Victoria Milan, there seems to be a pattern in the age at which women are most likely to cheat. Though you may think it's women in their twenties who consider cheating on their spouse, it's actually women who are just under 37 years old. According to their findings, the average age of women having affairs worldwide is 36.6, which is about seven years after getting married, based on the average age of marriage, which is 29.

These results did vary somewhat from country to country.

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The average age at which women cheat in the UK is between 25 and 29, while the average age is higher in Spain, where the average was between 40 and 44, and in Hungary, where the average is 45 to 49.

Aside from determining the age women are most likely to cheat, the study also offered some additional information on when women are most likely to cheat within the lifetime of a marriage. 

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For example, they note that American women wait until about eight and a half years into their marriages to cheat on average, while Irish women cheat faster than most, making it an average of 3.6 years of marriage before having an affair.

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"Perhaps their husbands are not giving them the attention and respect they deserve. Perhaps they still love their partners, but the spark has vanished from their marriage,"  says Sigurd Vegal, founder of Victoria Milan

"Whatever the reason, having an affair can help married women rediscover their zest for life, their sensuality, and the physical passion they may miss. These are universal needs, and craving tactile pleasure is something billions of us have in common — no matter how many other differences we may well have."

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Disrespected woman wonders if she married right person Maria Evseyeva via Shutterstock

As a woman myself, I can attest to how important it is to get proper attention and respect from a partner. If I feel emotionally neglected, I am far more likely to wonder if the cute guy at the bar would find me more interesting than my boyfriend.

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"To have a great relationship," explained family therapists Linda and Charlie Bloom, "there needs to be a high level of respect on the part of both partners. Couples who are less intentional and accomplished in this area will find that their lack of respect holds their partnership down to a lower level of well-being."

For men, I can imagine that not getting enough physical intimacy from their wives would make them look for it elsewhere. So, men, if you want your wives to stay with you, and only you, try paying more attention to them, especially just before their 37th birthday.

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Shannon Ullman is a writer who focuses on travel and adventure, women's health, pop culture, and relationships. Her work has appeared in Huffington Post, MSN, and Matador Network.

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