Objectives: 1. to highlight the importance of screening for psychiatric symptoms and routine postpartum psychiatric assessment in postnatal mothers. 2. To identify risk factors for postpartum depression and anxiety. 3. To highlight the dire need for psychiatric intervention in mothers suffering from postpartum depression and anxiety Materials and Methods: An in-house observational, analytical study was conducted in the department of OBG, Father Muller’s Medical college and hospital, a tertiary care centre in coastal Karnataka. A written informed consent was obtained from all the subjects recruited for the study and 96 inpatient postnatal mothers were evaluated on the second postnatal day. Sociodemographic variables and clinical variables were recorded in a semi structured proforma prepared for the clinical study. All patients were screened for anxiety and depressive symptoms using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Patients who were screened positive for anxiety and depressive symptoms postnatally were referred to the department of psychiatry for further evaluation and management (pharmacotherapy +/- psychotherapy). Postnatal mothers admitted during the period from March 2016 till May 2016 were taken as the population of the study. The inclusion criteria were postnatal mothers of age group 18-40 years and those who had given written informed consent. The exclusion criteria were pre conceptional psychiatric illness and preconceptional general medical illnesses. The tools used for assessment were HADS-Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale and analyzed by frequency, percentage and by Chi-square test. Results: As per the HADS scale,60.4% of mothers were found to be at high risk for postpartum depression and anxiety and 1.8% of these had confirmed postpartum depression that required therapy.Among 39.6% mothers who had no risk factors, 2.7% had postpartum depression that required therapy. Conclusion: Our results indicate that postpartum depression may be prevalent in Mangalore and may be associated with multi-parity and duration of labour. Postpartum depression is a significantly unrecognized and a non-clinical entity in India. Postpartum depression ranges from mild and transient “baby blues” experienced by 70% women of all strata’s of society to actual postpartum psychosis affecting only 1.8% of mothers with risk factors and 2.7% of mothers without risk factors for postpartum depression as per our results. This study provides valuable information about the prevalence of postpartum depression and its risk factors in Mangalore. Health professionals should be aware of the high prevalence rate of postpartum depression and possible risk factors so that these women and families can be identified and receive adequate support and treatment. Heightened awareness and detection of symptoms in postpartum depression can go a long way in reducing maternal morbidity and improving the harmonious existence of mother, child and the entire family.