BACKGROUND:
Improving maternal and child health is a global priority, with growing attention on long-term postpartum well-being. In Switzerland, antenatal and intrapartum care are strong, and early follow-up by midwives is well established - but legally limited to 56 days. Yet recovery often extends well beyond, with many women reporting mental distress, physical pain, and sexual health concerns. The experiences of partners remain underexplored. Understanding how birth experiences and care quality affect both mothers and partners is essential to inform future care.

OBJECTIVES:
To estimate the prevalence of childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD) in mothers and partners at 2 months postpartum. Secondary objectives include assessing quality of life, mental, physical, and sexual health up to 12 months, and investigates the impact of perinatal care quality - measured through maternal self-reported satisfaction – on health and recovery.

METHODS:
SOCRATES is a nationwide, multicentre prospective cohort including maternity units from all Swiss linguistic regions and nearly all cantons. A total of 2’846 mothers and 919 partners were enrolled between March–June 2025. Participants complete questionnaires at birth, 2, 6, and 12 months. The study assesses mental health, physical recovery, quality of life, and sexual health through validated self-reported measures. Medical records and hospital data will be linked.

RESULTS:
Data collection is ongoing. Preliminary data indicate a CB-PTSD prevalence below 1% in mothers at 2 months, with similar trends in partners. Final analyses will explore care quality predictors and gender disparities.

CONCLUSIONS:
This first national study in Switzerland assessing both maternal and partners well-being over 12-months will inform strategies to improve postnatal care.

KEY MESSAGE:
Postnatal care must address the mental health of both mothers and co-parents. High-quality perinatal care is key to preventing long-term distress. Poster session 4 (Group B)