This is when your partner is most likely to cheat on you

And it's probably not what you think.

Words by Jadie Troy-Pryde

It seems that in the wake of Valentine’s Day and the release of 50 Shades Darker, there has been a lot of sex news doing the rounds.

We recently found out how often the average Brit has sex each week – which is a surprise and a relief – as well as the most popular time to get between the sheets (hint: it’s way too early).

But what about fidelity? Or should we say, infidelity?

We know that this is supposedly the worst form of cheating (although we’re not overly enthused by any form of it, really), but is there anything to suggest that we’re more likely to cheat or be cheated on when we hit a certain age?

Actually, yes, there is.

And for once, the twerking, Tinder-ing, latte-sipping millenials aren’t the ones getting a bad rep. Hurrah!

According to a study by The University of New Hampshire, men and women are more likely to do the dirty on their other half when they’re in their forties and fifties.

Men tend to cheat when they hit 55, whereas women start doing a little extra-marital love shopping when they’re 45.

But why is there such a big difference between men and women’s prime infidelity ages?

Researchers say this is the science behind it: ‘The benefits of female infidelity reduce after the age of 40 because a woman would no longer benefit in terms of improved gene quality from the affair.

‘Men also experience a reduction of sperm quality around the age of 45, but the reproductive benefits of an affair expand further into a man’s lifetime than a woman’s.’

So cheating has a lot to do with our biological clocks, apparently.

The study also found that socio-economic factors influenced women’s cheating habits, with middle and lower-class ladies less likely to two-time than upper-class women.

However, it also showed that men of all backgrounds are equally likely to cheat.

Yay.