When Is Marital Infidelity Most Likely to Occur?

According to the Infidelity Facts website, marital infidelity is statistically most likely to occur:

1. After the first year of marriage

This is when the novelty of being married wears off, and the humdrum routine sets in.

Infidelity at this point in a marriage is typically of the one-night stand variety, and usually does not affect the love one has for their spouse. However, those who stray at this time are more likely to repeat it in the years to come.

2. After the first child is born

The entrance of a child inevitably changes a marriage. Much of the focus and attention that was previously given to one's spouse is now directed at the child. Add in the fatigue, stress, and change of routine involved, and you have all the ingredients for a fling.

3. The fifth to seventh year

This is the proverbial "seven-year itch". Affairs at this time happen because a relationship has commonly run its natural course in that all the goals for a relationship have typically been met in this time frame. What is ahead for a couple at this point is years and years of the same old, same old. The anticipation of greater things to come is gone.

Infidelity at this time tends to be the most serious; full-blown, long-lasting love affairs, rather than just getting a little on the side.

Though I am neither monogamous nor married, I can fairly well attest to the truth of this one, as my primary relationships typically are of a time limited nature, though the average longevity of one of my primary relationships is a bit shorter at two to four years. For me, the tedium sets in precisely because I know my partner all too well and there's little new to discover about them.

4. Middle Age.

Also known as the mid-life crisis. The kids are grown, the house is empty, and the couple is back to being just a couple again. Unlike when they were newlyweds, however, the couple knows one another all too well and there's nothing left to distract them from any faults in their marriage. It is at this time that a married person will ask themselves, "Is that all there is?" and figure that if they want something else, they'd better go out and get it while it's still a reasonable possibility.