Depression is common in the postpartum period. It can be severe and may have serious consequences for the woman and her child (figure). The term postnatal depression, however, is often applied indiscriminately to all occurrences of psychological distress after childbirth.

Many people present with medically unexplained symptoms. For example, more than a quarter of primary care patients in England have unexplained chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome, or chronic fatigue.