Ashish KothariMake flourishing your competitive edge

Why do women initiate divorce at the highest rates during the menopausal transition?

2 Apr 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:46

In this video, Ashish Kothari explores the striking pattern that women most frequently file for divorce during the menopausal or perimenopausal transition, a period that can begin as early as the late 30s and extend into the 50s. He outlines the wide range of ages at which menopause can occur, noting that while most women experience it naturally, some encounter it earlier due to surgical removal of ovaries, premature ovarian insufficiency, or genetic factors. Kothari points out that until only a few years ago, both physicians and women largely overlooked perimenopause as a factor influencing relationship dynamics, despite its accompanying physical and emotional symptoms. By highlighting this historical blind spot, he sets the stage for a deeper discussion of how hormonal fluctuations, mood changes, and unmet expectations during this life stage may contribute to a surge in divorce filings among women.

Chapters

Women, the highest rate of divorce for women initiating divorce is during the menopausal transition, which can start traditionally anywhere from like late 30s all the way through your 50s. Now there are other people that will go through menopause sooner, either because they had a surgical procedure or they may be one of the smaller populations that has, you know, premature ovarian insufficiency. Or some of these other things that can happen due to genetic factors. But I don't think anybody 5 years ago, except for maybe a couple really wise physicians and some women who had gone through this journey early themselves, looked at perimenopause and thought, oh, I need to be thinking about this when I feel these symptoms arise in my late 30s and early 40s.