Improving maternal and child health is a global priority, with increasing emphasis on ensuring women and their families not only survive but also thrive after childbirth. While high-income countries like Switzerland provide strong antenatal and intrapartum care, the quality of postnatal care often lags behind, despite the critical physical, mental, and social needs of the postpartum period. Studies indicate high rates of mental distress, physical pain, and sexual discomfort among mothers, alongside a lack of research on the well-being of co-parents.

The main question this cohort study aims to answer is: how do the health and well-being of mothers and co-parents evolve during the first year after childbirth? Participants will complete four online questionnaires: the first within the first few days after birth, followed by additional assessments at 2, 6, and 12 months postpartum.

This comprehensive approach seeks to inform policy and improve evidence-based postnatal care practices, benefiting approximately 80,000 families annually in Switzerland.

Inclusion criteria:

• Women who give birth in a participating maternity unit or birth center during the study period.
• Partner of a participating women: the partner must be designated by the mother, live with her at the time of birth, and only one partner can be included per mother.
• Gestational age at birth: ≥22+0 weeks and/or birthweight ≥500 grams
• Age: Participants must be 14 years or older.
• Language Proficiency: Participants must have sufficient proficiency in one of Switzerland's main official languages (German, French, Italian) or English to ensure accurate communication and comprehension of study materials.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Refusal to participate
• Inability to provide informed consent

All adult women who give birth to one or more live-born or stillborn children at ≥22 weeks and/or with a birthweight of ≥500 grams in a participating unit during the study period will be eligible, along with their cohabiting partners.

In compliance with the requirements of the Swiss National Science Foundation, anonymized study data will be made available to other researchers via Yareta, a certified and secure Swiss institutional research data repository. This ensures transparency, facilitates further research, and aligns with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles. Access to the data on this platform is subject to authorization by a competent authority.

Undecided

Researchers will have access to the IPD and supporting information. Data access via the YARETA platform is subject to authorization by a competent authority.