 A puerperal disorder or postpartum disorder is a complication which presents primarily during the puerperium, or postpartum period.The postpartum period can be divided into three distinct stages; the initial or acute phase, six to 12 hours after childbirth; subacute postpartum period, which lasts two to six weeks, and the delayed postpartum period, which can last up to six months.In the subacute postpartum period, 87% to 94% of women report at least one health problem.